Glen Education Glover Street

Embedding cultural safety – Creating environments where children feel respected, valued, and safe to be themselves

By Olina Hu, Diploma Educator 

Earlier this term, the team at Glen Glover Street Kindergarten explored body safety and incorporated discussions about body safety into the curriculum. These conversations help children develop the language, knowledge and skills to protect and advocate for themselves when they need help. The theme of body safety aligns with the team’s goal of embedding child safe standards through our practices and pedagogies.  

As part of the body safety theme, we focused on safety networks, consent and body boundaries, private parts. To understand safety network, we helped children identify at least five trusted adults they can turn to when feeling unsafe and worried. The trusted adults can be family members, teachers, or community members such as doctors and police. By encouraging children to create their own safety networks, we empower children to get supported and respected. 

Additionally, children learned about their bodies belong to them. Through various illustrations, together with children, we identified their early warning signs and why they might not feel safe. We encouraged children to engage in sharing unsafe feelings and advocating and reinforcing that their feelings matter, empowering children to have the right to feel safe. Furthermore, we discussed different names for all body parts, including private body parts in a respectful and age-appropriate way. Having the names of body parts can give children confidence while communicating. It’s crucial for helping children understand the importance of consent. Not only is it important for children to ask for consent, but it is also important to tell trusted grown-ups in the safety network when feeling unwell or seeking help. 

We also had an opportunity to incorporate our language program learning into body safety through a Chinese song. We highlighted the importance of getting to know our bodies through the Chinese song. We supported children in interacting with the song, reinforcing the importance of understanding our body. The song helped children understand how to recognise when their bodies feel good through activities like hand clapping and foot stomping. 

Body safety is not a one-time exploration. It is an ongoing conversation. By embedding the knowledge of body safety, we are empowering children to become confident, safe, and respected learners.