National Child Protection Week at JAG: Every Conversation Matters

This week marks National Child Protection Week in Australia, and the theme is ‘Every Conversation Matters – Shifting Conversation to Action’.

As a leader, a mum, step mum, grandparent and a lifelong advocate for children, National Child Protection Week is deeply personal to me. At JAG, we’re not just talking. We’re acting. And we’re inviting every family, educator and community member to do the same.

More than just a policy

Child safety isn’t just a policy; it’s a commitment embedded in everything we do and every decision we make. Every JAG team member shares the responsibility of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of every child in our care. This is at the forefront of our thinking, our decisions, our commitments and our actions.

That’s why we prioritise ongoing conversations with children and families about what safety means to them and importantly, act on what we hear.

How we are listening and taking action this week

This week, we’re joining the national conversation with purpose. Dedicating time and space for meaningful dialogue with children and families. Launching a key initiative across our services, our teams will be asking children: “What makes you feel safe at OSHC?”

Our educators will support children through age-appropriate conversations about safety, trust and respect. These activities empower children to explore what safety means to them, identify trusted adults and express their needs in creative ways.

Their answers will help shape our environments, programs and practices to ensure every child feels safe, happy and empowered in their OSH community.

A culture of continuous listening

This week is also dedicated to encouraging everyone to speak openly and listen to each other. Discussing how we are feeling and what we can do differently to create the most safe and welcoming spaces we can.

We also want to know what we can do more of. The things that have made our children feel connected and empowered are important to continually instil in our programs.

I’m looking forward to joining in with our State General Managers and our teams across the country in listening to the voices of thousands of children and families, and turning their ideas into action. These activities will directly inform our organisational child-friendly safeguarding policy.

Why this matters

Safety is never static. We must remain vigilant and responsive to the evolving environments where children may be vulnerable, including online spaces. It’s our role to notice signs of concern, act swiftly and support children and families with compassion and care.

Children rely on trusted and caring adults in their lives to ensure they are respected, valued, listened to, protected and loved. This is the most important and foundational role we play.

We’re proud to stand with families, educators and communities across Australia, and globally, in making that promise real, every day.

Melinda Crole, Chief Executive Officer, Australia
Junior Adventures Group

More information

While National Child Protection Week is an Australian initiative, our commitment to child safety is global. You can read our full Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy here and view our visual summary here.

We also stand by our Statement of Commitment to Safeguarding Children, which affirms:

We will keep you safe and ensure that you feel safe at all times.

We believe every child has inherent rights, and we have a duty to provide safeguards that help them thrive and grow with confidence.

This commitment is embedded in our organisational culture and drives our strategic decisions, partnerships and programming globally.