Glen Education Carnegie

Empowering Children about their rights through the Body Safety Australia Incursions

By Sandy, Kavita and Kerry from Glen Education Carnegie

Our recent collaboration with Body Safety Australia has further strengthened our approach to child safety by directly empowering children through education. The incursions provided developmentally appropriate, respectful, and engaging sessions where children learned about:

Their right to feel safe at all times.
The difference between safe and unsafe touch.
The importance of consent and personal boundaries.
Identifying trusted adults and asking for help.

These sessions align with our belief that education is a powerful tool for prevention. By openly discussing these topics, we reduce stigma and create an environment where children feel confident to speak up. The facilitators worked alongside our educators to ensure language and concepts were consistent with our existing curriculum and values.

The program was delivered through interactive methods such as games, stories, songs, and discussions, which effectively engaged children and supported their learning. Throughout the workshops, children explored key body safety learning objectives aligned with our commitment to creating a safe, respectful, and empowering environment for all children.

These objectives included:

Identifying and clearly communicating emotions in themselves and others, enhancing emotional literacy and self-awareness. Using a visual diagram that illustrated different types of touch and the emotions they might evoke, children were encouraged to recognize and express their feelings. This helped them better understand personal boundaries and communicate effectively when something felt uncomfortable or wrong.
Recognising the ‘early warning signs’ in their bodies that signal discomfort or danger, promoting internal awareness and self-protection.
Understanding that humans respond to fear through different mechanisms—fight, flight, and freeze—which validates children’s diverse experiences and reactions to challenging situations.
Learning to assertively communicate their right to bodily autonomy. The children participated in meaningful discussions where they identified and named private and personal body parts, such as hands, mouth, and eyes, and reflected on how they have the right to choose how these parts are used. These conversations supported a deeper understanding of personal boundaries and respect for their own and others’ bodies, nurturing their growing sense of agency and confidence.

Practicing the expression of boundaries and respectful communication with peers. Children learned to ask thoughtful questions such as, “Can I give you a hug?” and were encouraged to use clear, strong language if they ever feel uncomfortable or unsafe, including phrases like, “Stop, I don’t like that.” These lessons are essential in building confidence and reinforcing that their feelings and personal space must be respected.

Identifying Safe Adults in their lives through use of felt finger puppets. This creative activity involved each child drawing a face on their finger puppets that represent five adult people in their lives who makes them feel safe, listened to, and supported, reinforcing their understanding of a trusted person they can approach for help.

Throughout the workshops, the children at Glen Carnegie Kindergarten were highly engaged and demonstrated a strong understanding of how to recognise and respond to situations that do not feel right. Most importantly, they learned that it is always appropriate to speak up and seek assistance from trusted adults in their lives.

This program complements our ongoing commitment at Glen Carnegie Kindergarten to foster safe and supportive learning environments. It also encourages families to continue these critical conversations at home, strengthening the network of protection around each child.

The Body Safety Australia workshops have been a valuable addition to our curriculum, deepening children’s understanding of their rights, personal boundaries, and safety strategies. As educators, we recognise that empowering children with this knowledge is fundamental to nurturing confident, resilient, and safe individuals. We remain dedicated to embedding these principles within our practice and curriculum, ensuring that Glen Carnegie Kindergarten continues to be a place where every child feels secure, respected, and heard.