Director of Wellbeing
🌻National Child Protection Week
It’s National Child Protection Week, and this year’s theme, “Every Conversation Matters”, is a timely reminder of how powerful everyday chats with children can be – especially when it comes to their online lives.
The online world offers incredible opportunities but also has its share of risks we need to educate children about. Think of it like teaching a child to ride a bike. You wouldn’t send them off without practice or a helmet. The same goes for the online world – we need to ensure children are prepared and protected before they start navigating it on their own.
A growing concern in Australia and around the world is child sexual abuse online. It’s a tough topic, but it’s one that needs to be addressed head-on. This issue is affecting children of all ages, showing up in different ways like non-consensual sharing of intimate images, tech-facilitated child sexual abuse, sexual extortion and the grooming of a child with the intention to abuse them online or in person.
With 11% of teens aged 14-17 reporting they’ve been solicited sexually online, it’s more important than ever to create environments where children feel safe to speak up – whether they’re at home or school.
So, what can you do? The good news is that parents and carers can take practical steps to make a real difference. Research shows that when we strengthen the support systems around children, we give them the best chance to stay safe online.
To help you get started the Esafety commission has new resources for parents and carers to help protect children from sexual abuse online. There are also a lot of other great resources on the website.
https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents
Together, we can ensure children have the support they need to explore the online world safely. Let’s make every conversation count this National Child Protection week – and beyond.
Families are reminded that if your child comes home unhappy or worried about anything and they have not talked with someone at school, it is important that parents make contact. Sometimes something very small builds into something bigger because young people have not had support to manage an appropriate response. In certain situations, tactical ignoring or walking away is a good short-term solution to diffuse a situation. However, it is not an appropriate long-term strategy. It is important that your child develops ways to manage emotions so that they do not build up, and appropriate responses to ensure that negative patterns do not continue. Please do not hesitate to speak to their Class room teacher (Primary) House Mentor Teacher (Secondary).
🌻Uniform update
With a few warmer days headed our way, students may transition to summer uniform from Monday 9th September.
Reminder:-
▪️ Primary... Hair below shoulder length must be tied back
▪️Secondary... Hair must be neat and tidy and off the face. Hair must be tied back if below shoulder length in all practical subjects.
▪️Primary/Secondary... Nail polish if worn must be clear coat
▪️Primary/Secondary... Earrings - Maximum of two sleepers or studs in each ear may be worn, no facial piercings.
▪️PE uniform may only be worn on PE days.
Allison Moore
allison.moore@smseymour.catholic.edu.au