Child Protection Week drawing and colouring competition. Three prize packs up for grabs: Learn more
Our Strong Families team works with children and families on many different things that impact on parenting.
National Child Protection Week from September 6 to September 12 is very important to our team and the theme 'Putting Children First' is exactly how they work.
Family Services staff work closely with parents and children to keep them safe and make sure the developmental, social and wellbeing needs of the children are met.
How do they do this?
Our staff do a needs and risk assessment for the family and then work with them to set goals and put things in place to meet those goals.
The program can work with any family but we have a focus on helping vulnerable young people and their families who are likely to experience greater challenges, issues and risks.
Our work usually occurs in the family home but due to the Coronavirus panedmic this has been put on hold. Instead our staff have found new ways to support families such as using phones.
Child Safety and the child’s best interests is at the heart of everything that the Strong Families program does.
When reflecting on Child Protection Week, there are a lot of ways that the program helps to keep children safe including:
- Safety planning with victims/survivors of family violence
- Advocating to other services and organisations on behalf of children
- Checking in and supporting children and young people through therapeutic supports
- Providing information and resources to parents on how to keep children safe
- Proactive case planning
- Secondary consultations
- Working closely with a range of other professionals to support a united approach to keeping children safe
Committed to child safety
Bendigo Community Health Services is committed to child safety.
Our Strong Families team has made these learning resources for families as part of National Child Protection Week.
Read them with your children or child under your care as a valuable learning experience around safety.
(Click on the highlighted link to access each resource)
Child Safety Resource: pdf We Go Places With Our Parents (411 KB)
Child Safety Resource: pdf Being A Good Friend (138 KB)
Child Safety Resource: pdf Appropriate Touch (675 KB)
Child Safety Resource: pdf My Emotions chart (131 KB)
What role can you play in child safety?
Keeping children safe is very important to everyone at BCHS but it's very important to remember keeping children safe is a community responsibility.
If you see something that isn’t safe for children please speak up.
Help children thrive and create environments where children feel safe.
If you are concerned about the safety of a child you can call the Child Protection Intake Number on 1300 664 977.
If you are wanting information and advice about getting help from family services or other support services you can call ChildFIRST on 5440 1147.
Here are some more resources our Strong Families team recommend to help:
https://raisingchildren.net.au/school-age/safety
Kids Help line: 1800 551 800 (anytime).
Last updated: September 8, 2020