Content Warning: The following article contains references to child sexual abuse.
30 August 2023 Was Bravehearts Day
With 1 in 4 Australians having experienced child sexual abuse, now more than ever, it is vital that we unite and work towards one simple, common goal: keeping children safe.
Bravehearts Day (previously known as White Balloon Day) is a day dedicated to raising funds and awareness for the prevention of child sexual abuse. It is credited for breaking the silence around child sexual abuse and creating a cultural shift in how Australians understand and respond to child sexual abuse and survivors of this crime.
In recognition of Bravehearts Day, School Governance has partnered with Bravehearts to share valuable resources. We also invite you to #showyourheart and donate at www.braveheartsday.org.au.
About Bravehearts
Bravehearts is an Australian child protection organisation solely dedicated to the prevention and treatment of child sexual abuse.
Unfortunately, child sexual abuse is a global problem that knows no physical, financial, socioeconomic, geographical, cultural or gender boundaries. Its impacts are far reaching for children, families and communities. To put this into context, just consider these harrowing statistics:
- More than 1 in 4 Australians (28.5 per cent) have experienced child sexual abuse.
- More than 1 in 3 girls and almost 1 in 5 boys experience child sexual abuse.
- Among Australian children who have been sexually abused, for more than three-quarters (78 per cent), it has happened more than once.
These statistics are far more than mere data; they’re a chilling revelation that beckons us to act. For more than 25 years, Bravehearts has been at the forefront, working holistically to educate, empower and protect children from child sexual abuse. Its services include:
Personal Safety Education Programs
Bravehearts works hard to prevent child sexual abuse, arming children and young people with vital personal safety knowledge, including body ownership, cyber-safety and consent. Its flagship program is Ditto's Keep Safe Adventure, aimed at children aged 3 to 8. More information about this program is provided below.
Child Protection eLearning Courses
Bravehearts strives to empower those supporting, working or living with children and young people, providing essential knowledge and skills needed to create and maintain a protective and child safe environment. From parents and carers, childcare centres and schools, to institutions, sporting groups and large organisations, child protection education is the key to preventing this crime. More information about these courses is provided below.
Counselling and Support Services
Bravehearts provides affordable counselling and support for children and young people who have been affected by sexual abuse, as well as help for any non-offending family members. It also offers a national Information and Support Line (1800 272 831), case management for adult survivors seeking redress, as well as and therapeutic intervention for children and young people with harmful sexual behaviours.
Research and Reform
Bravehearts works to ensure that its education programs, counselling services and training is backed by current, evidence-based research, and fights for the rights of children, young people and adult survivors by advocating for legislative reform.
Ditto’s Keep Safe Adventure
One of Australia’s leading personal safety education programs for children, Bravehearts Ditto’s Keep Safe Adventure, has empowered more than 1.3 million children with lifelong personal safety skills since 2006.
Bravehearts Ditto’s Keep Safe Adventure is made up of an incursion program and extended learning resources, that together create a complete education program that teaches young children personal safety strategies and skills to stay safe in a non-confronting and engaging way.
Bravehearts Ditto’s Keep Safe Adventure program was recently redesigned with some of Australia’s leading child protection and education experts, researchers and parents, and is tailored specifically to educate, empower and protect children aged 3 to 8 (broken down into three age groups). With research demonstrating that children in this age group are most vulnerable to child sexual abuse, this program provides age-appropriate skills and information and is aligned to the Early Years Framework and Australian National Curriculum.
What the Children Learn
The 20-30 minute live show, lesson plans and resources are underpinned by the following six principles of personal safety:
- Differentiating safe and unsafe feelings.
- Recognising the body’s warning signs.
- Identifying private body parts, public body parts, and private and public places.
- Helping children to identify language and feelings associated with secrets, and to identify the adults who are their Safety Team who they can Go and Tell.
- Reinforcing that there is no secret that children cannot tell someone about.
- Knowing what to do if a child feels unsafe or unsure.
New Learning Modules and Resources
Along with the live, interactive 20–30 minute show with a facilitator and Ditto, an activity book is given to each child as well as online access to all curriculum-aligned material including eight lesson modules, printable resources, newly- written and recorded songs, and assessment materials for educators. These modules and resources provide educators with ongoing, in-class material to re-affirm and extend learning, building on messages learned from the live show into the classroom, and serve to increase children’s resilience to harm.
A brand new digital version of the show will be launched in late 2023.
Child Protection eLearning Courses
Each and every one of us has a role to play in protecting children and creating an environment where children are and feel safe. Whether it’s a requirement of your employment, you’re a parent or carer, you teach at a school or you lead a child facing organisation, child protection is everyone’s responsibility. In order to fulfil this responsibility, regular education is needed.
Child protection training is not simply a ‘one off’ obligation.
Updating your knowledge and skills each year builds your capacity and confidence to identify, respond, report, support and protect vulnerable children.
Bravehearts’ new, recently updated and soon to be released eLearning courses are:
- Child Protection for Early Years Educators (annual refresher course also available)
- Child Protection for Schools (annual refresher course also available)
- Child Protection for Child-Facing Organisations (annual refresher course also available)
- Leadership in Child Safe Organisations
- Additional Learning Module: Sexual Behaviours in Children
- Additional Learning Module: Self-Reflection
- Additional Learning Module: Professional Boundaries
- Additional Learning Module: Boarding Houses.
Visit www.braveheartslearning.org.au for more information.
Bravehearts’ vision is a world where people, communities and systems all work together to protect children from sexual abuse.
Let’s work together to achieve this.
References:
1-3) Haslam D, Mathews B, Pacella R, Scott JG, Finkelhor D, Higgins DJ, Meinck F, Erskine HE, Thomas HJ, Lawrence D, Malacova E. (2023). The prevalence and impact of child maltreatment in Australia: Findings from the Australian Child Maltreatment Study: Brief Report. Australian Child Maltreatment Study, Queensland University of Technology.
