Children have the right to be heard: Insights from National Child Protection Week

During National Child Protection Week, we asked thousands of children across our services a simple but powerful question: What makes you feel safe at OSHC?

Now, as we celebrate National Children’s Week, we’re reflecting on what children shared.

Their responses were thoughtful, creative and deeply personal. From Newcastle to Bunbury, Rockhampton to Beaconsfield, educators facilitated age-appropriate activities that helped children explore what safety means to them.

How did we support the conversation?

Educators used a wide range of tools to spark discussion, reflection and creativity:

Safety Circles and Shield of Safety activities helped children identify trusted adults and understand personal boundaries

Kindness Chains, Gratitude Trees and Support Trees encouraged empathy, appreciation and connection

Feelings Trees, Emotion Walls and Zones of Regulation supported emotional literacy and self-regulation

“My Safe Five” hand tracing helped children name their support networks

Storybooks, role-play, drawing and group pledges gave children space to express themselves and co-create safe environments

At Bertram, children created a safeguarding window filled with their own artwork and promises. At Barker College, the week was woven together with R U OK? Day, creating a powerful blend of emotional wellbeing and safety. At Glen Huon, children made a public pledge and added it to the National Child Protection Week website.

What did we learn?

When asked what makes them feel safe, children spoke about the people around them.

Their top 5 responses?

Educators, family, friends, parents and teachers.

Their answers reflect the deep importance of connection and care.

Across all services, children shared a clear message: safety is built through relationships. Several key themes stood out:

Safety as a shared responsibility
Support from trusted adults and peers
Respect and personal boundaries
Kindness and empathy
Emotional literacy and self-regulation
Community and belonging
Voice and agency

In their own words, children described safety as:

“Being under a roof”

“Being in my warm bed at night”

“Being with my mum and dad and with people I love”

“Being with people I trust”

“Being at netball and hanging out with my friends”

“When we have boundaries”

“When my ideas are heard”

“Keeping our hands and feet to ourselves”

These reflections remind us that safety is not just a physical condition; it’s an emotional experience:

Children feel safe when they are listened to, when their boundaries are honoured and when they are surrounded by people who care.

What are we doing next?

One of the most powerful outcomes of the week was the launch of our child-led safeguarding policy initiative. Their contributions are helping shape a policy that reflects children’s lived experiences and affirms their right to feel safe, be safe and speak up.

We’re collating insights from across our services and using what children told us to:

Strengthen our safeguarding practices
Create more opportunities for children to express themselves
Reinforce the importance of trusted relationships in every OSHC environment
Embed child voice into our ongoing policy development

Listening is not a one-off activity. It’s a continuous commitment. We’re proud to be building a culture where every child feels safe, valued and empowered.

We’re grateful to our educators, families and communities for joining us in these conversations - and for helping us turn words into action.

Because child safety is everyone’s responsibility.