This year National Child Protection Week is from 1st-7th of September. The aim of the week is to engage members of the community in supporting families and protecting children. Child protection is a critical issue that affects all communities, particularly our schools. This year your child will participate in lessons around Child Protection in the classrooms during Week 7 as part of their PD/H/PE lessons.

Sydney Catholic Schools are also running parent forums at the following locations during the week, and all parents are invited to attend: 

● The Eastern Region’s office, located at 33 Banks Ave, Daceyville on Wednesday 4th September at 6:30pm. 

For further information on National Child Protection Week the following websites provide useful information;

Australian Federal Police 

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact myself of your child's classroom teacher. 

Below you will see some helpful points that parents can use with their children to reinforce the importance of concepts such as safe places and safe people. 

Reminding children about stranger danger and who to speak to if they are scared or have a stranger approach them should not be frightening but a normal conversation about protective behaviours that provides them with some strategies to be safe.

  Some points that should be addressed include:

 - making sure your parents or another responsible adult you know where you are at all times

- if you walk to and from school, always walk straight home or to the place you are walking to. Walk near busier roads and streets or use paths where there are lots of other people

- do not talk to people you do not know

- never get into a car with someone you don’t know

- if a car stops on the side of the road and you don’t know the person inside, do not stop

- if someone tries to grab you, yell out as loud as you can, “Go away, I don’t know you.” This attracts attention of other people around you

- know where safe places are – a shop, service station, police station, library or school. If you are ever frightened, you should go to one of these places and ask them to call the police

- learn about safe adults you can look for and talk to if you need help. Safe adults include police officers, teachers at school, adults you know and trust

- if you are scared and can use a phone, call 000 and tell the operator that you are scared.

Nat Maclarn

Mathematics and Wellbeing Coordinator