The theme of National Protection Week 2025, ‘Shifting Conversation to Action’, speaks to the importance of working together to keep our kids safe. While it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless in the face of these issues, it’s important to remember that prevention has a domino effect: small actions snowball into broader change, and piece by piece we move towards communities that are safer for our children.

As part of this event, NAPCAN has put together a wide range of events and resources to help you feel empowered about actions you can take to create safer communities for our children.
Check out how you can get involved: www.napcan.org.au/ncpw/

 

Building Emotional Literacy Through Play

If you’re happy and you know it… clap your hands! 🎶

Songs and play are a fun way to help little ones build emotional literacy through learning to name, understand and express their feelings.

Try these simple ideas at home or at playgroup:

⭐ Read books about feelings together

⭐ Make faces with playdough or paper plates

⭐ Play “feelings follow the leader” with different emotions

Tip: Role model feelings in everyday life. Use “I feel…” sentences so children see that everyone has emotions – and that’s okay!

 

Explore more helpful resources:

🔗 WA Child Safety Services: https://wacss.com.au/free-resources/

🔗 Daniel Morcombe Foundation song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiefMJe6Dac

🔗 Free Feeling Cards: https://e2epublishing.info/pro…/feeling-cards-free-activty

🔗 Auslan Feeling Cards: https://e2epublishing.info/products/auslan-feelings-cards

🎶 Here’s another great song to sign and sing along to at home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYhloK54aco

 

Creating a Safety Network

Did you know 1 in 3 Australians would not believe children if they disclosed abuse (Bravehearts, 2021)

From playgroup age, it’s so important to let children know: “We can talk to someone about anything – no matter what it is.” Just as important is to make sure they have a network of safe people they can turn to that’s not just family. A network is a group of 5 adults (chosen by the child) who they believe will support and help them if needed. This could include a trusted friend, neighbour, educator, or even someone at playgroup.

Reinforce to your child that they can tell a trusted adult on their network if they are feeling unsafe or worried. Problem solve with your child about being persistent when asking for help. If someone on their network isn’t available or doesn’t help, to keep on telling the others on their network until someone listens and they feel safe again.

Try the Helping Hand activity with your child — draw a hand and write or paste pictures of 5 people they can go to if they need help. Remember to tell the people who are on your child’s network, everyone on that hand has an important job: listen, believe and take action. Include the Kidshelp line and 000 on the ‘sleeve’ of your hand, so your children know that they can contact them and ask for help.

🔗 Daniel Morcombe Foundation – Safety Helpers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGp1bKBpx3w

🔗 WA Child Safety Service: https://wacss.com.au/…/Network-Helping-Hand-Activity…

 

Body Clues: Warning Signs

Do you know your body has an alarm system that sends you messages about what you are feeling? When we are hungry our tummy might growl, when we are thirsty we might get a dry throat, when we are feeling hot we might sweat or get red in the face.

Our body also sends us messages when we are feeling unsafe or worried. We call these feelings ‘Warning Signs’. Warning signs are the little signals our bodies give us when something doesn’t feel right, like a fast-beating heart, butterflies in the tummy, or jelly legs. These feelings help children recognise when they might be unsafe or worried. It is important we teach our children to identify, listen and tell an trusted adult (or someone on their network) about these warning signs.

By talking with children about their early warning signs, we can help them:

⭐ Notice how their body feels in different situations

⭐ Identify when they are feeling safe and unsafe or worried

⭐ Share what they’re experiencing

⭐ Practise calming strategies, like slow breaths

⭐ Practice help seeking strategies

🔗 Watch this short video to learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puHY4GAHZCg

 

Body Safety Messages

Did you know you can start teaching Body Safety messages from birth?

Using the Right Words: Why Anatomical Terms Matter

One of the simplest and most powerful things we can do for our children is to use the correct names for all parts of their bodies—including their private parts. Using anatomically correct terms (p*nis, testicles, scr*tum, vulva, v*gina, an*s, bottom, and nipples) helps children develop a healthy body image, builds their confidence, and encourages open, comfortable communication about their bodies.
It also gives children the language they need to talk clearly if they ever feel unsafe or uncomfortable.

How to Make It Part of Everyday Life

You don’t need to sit down for a serious talk—this can be woven into your everyday routines in gentle, age-appropriate ways. For example:

• During bath time or nappy changes, you can use the correct terms casually, just like you would say “arm” or “tummy.”
• During playtime, you can include anatomically correct dolls. While dressing or washing the doll together, you can gently use the correct language and reinforce simple body safety messages.

Children learn through repetition and play—so just by hearing you use the right words and model respect for the body, they’re learning too.

Body Safety: Keeping the Message Clear and Simple

We can teach children simple body safety rules, like:

• “Your private parts are the parts of your body covered by your swimsuit.”
• “No one should look at, touch, or take photos of your private parts—unless there’s a good reason, like helping you get clean or a doctor checking if something hurts.”
• “If anyone ever does something that makes you feel uncomfortable, you can always tell a trusted adult.”

These small, everyday moments add up and help create a strong foundation of safety, respect, and confidence for your child.

For resources and more information:

🔗 Daniel Morcombe Foundation – Body Parts
🔗 Body Safety Australia
🔗 Child Safe Body Safety Resources
🔗 Resources to Teach Body Safety

 

The Rights of a Child

Did you know the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child sets out 42 rights to help children grow up safe, healthy and happy?

One of the most important is the right to be safe — no matter where they are: at home, playgroup, school or in the community.

At playgroup age, we can help children learn about this right by:

⭐ Talking about what feeling safe means to them

⭐ Helping them know it’s okay to speak up if they ever feel unsafe

⭐ Supporting them to build a “helping hand” network of trusted adults they can turn to

Children’s rights give them a voice, and it’s our job as adults to make sure those rights are always respected.

Learn more about WA Child Safety Service Protective Behaviours program: https://wacss.com.au/programs/protective-behaviours/

Find out about children’s rights: https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/childrens-rights

 

Support Services

For more information about Protective Behaviours

🔗 WA Child Safety Service
🔗 Daniel Morcombe Foundation
🔗 Body Safety Australia
🔗 National Office for Child Safety
🔗 ChildSafe
🔗 eSafe Kids
🔗 Safe4Kids

If you or someone you know has experienced abuse or neglect, support is available:

📞 1800RESPECT
📞 13YARN
📞 Department for Communities, CPFS: 1800 176 888
📞 Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800