Yesterday marked the end of National Child Protection Week (NCPW) for 2022 and, like many communities around the country, services in Brewarrina held a successful community day in the park to kick off the week.

Mission Australia and Thiyama-li (a local Aboriginal Legal Support service) joined combined to put on a great event for the children, collaborating with other agencies who work to support children and their families.

Brewarrina Central School, Pre-School and St Patricks School attended the day, as well as community members.

Child Protection Week is funded by the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN), which was founded in 1987. 

For over 30 years, NAPCAN has been running the annual NCPW campaign, each year encouraging communities to act on the core message that “protecting children is everyone’s business”.

When asked what child protection means Kelsie Lovett, from Mission Australia said “Child protection is all about giving a child a fair go, letting them have their say, keeping them in an environment free from neglect or abuse.”

Belinda Boney from Bre LALC helps a local child make their mark.

Keeping children safe a continuing challenge

According to the Australian Institute of Health & Welfare (AIHW), in Australia nearly 49,700 children were proven to have suffered abuse or neglect in 2020 - 21.

This represents an increase of 6.2%, or more than 10,000 children, compared to the 2016-17 year.

Emotional abuse (55%) was the most common primary type of abuse or neglect substantiated through investigations in 2020–21.

This was followed by neglect (21%), physical abuse (14%), and sexual abuse (10%).

Also last year about 178,800 children aged less than 18 years received child protection services ranging from investigations, care and protection orders and/or out-of-home care placements.

Brewarrina Mayor Vivian Slack-smith opened the Child Protection Week event.

COVID impacts

The AIHW has reported that notifications to child protection services fell during the ‘first wave’ of COVID-19 in April 2020, and increased once most restrictions eased in May/June 2020.

Several risk factors for child abuse and neglect increased during COVID-19, including financial hardship, housing stress, and poor mental health.

Child protection services were affected by measures put in place as part of government responses to COVID-19 during 2020 and 2021 including travel restrictions, lockdowns limiting non-urgent face-to-face work and remote learning for students and quarantine requirements. may have affected child protection processes .

Although the impacts of this is not yet known, the need to strengthen the supports available remains critical to reducing the numbers of children suffering abuse and neglect.

The theme for National Child Protection Week this year is ‘Every child, in every community, needs a fair go’ with the emphasise on shining a light on children growing up safe and supported.

This is in line with a new national framework for protecting Australia's children called 'Safe and Supported: 2021–2031'.

It was developed by federal, state and territory governments, and involved Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives and the non-government sector and recognises that in order to keep children safe everyone needs to work together.

Children from preschool through primary school took part in the day.

It takes a community

Brewarrina's efforts last week indicated the range of services in even the smaller communities that work together to provide positive supports to local children and families.

As an open community event it was also an opportunity to get people thinking about their own role in keeping children safe in their community.

The day was officially opened by Mayor Vivian Slack-smith and local Police and Indigenous leaders also spoke.

Lunch and snacks were provided by Mission Australia and the BBQ was cooked by the local men’s group.

There were many activities, such as painting handprints on a banner, supplied by Brewarrina Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC).

Maranguka helped with the novelty games, like egg and spoon race, three-legged race and more.

“What a fantastic morning of fun activities, was so good to see so many children in attendance and participating,” said a spokesperson for Thiyama-li.