Keeping children safe from abuse

You have a right to be safe and happy

Every child has the right to be protected from being hurt or badly treated. If you or someone close to you is having a hard time, there are services to help. Each of the services listed below has trained staff available to listen and help you out over the phone 24/7 – and every conversation is confidential.

Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 Free, private and confidential, telephone and online counselling service specifically for young people aged between 5 and 25 in Australia. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

ReachOut: https://au.reachout.com/ Online mental health service for young people and their parents in Australia.

1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732 24-hour national sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line for anyone in Australia who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault.

Lifeline: 13 11 14 | Anyone across Australia experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide can call 13 11 14, or text 0477 13 11 14 at night (6pm-midnight AEDT). Someone will help put you in contact with a crisis service in your state or territory. 

Parentline: 1300 30 1300 Free counselling and support for parents and caregivers in QLD & NT.

Resources for identifying and reporting child abuse

Every child has the right to grow up in a safe and supportive environment. If you suspect a child is at risk of harm, or would like to read more about the signs of abuse, see the following resources:

• State departments such as DHHS (Victoria) and FACS (in NSW) have all the reporting mechanisms and signs of what to look for in children you suspect may be abused.
• NAPCAN publishes accessible brochures such as Listening to your Children and information promoting safety for children.
• Child Wise is a non-profit child abuse prevention organisation.
• Save the Children’s Positive Discipline Program helps parents learn how to guide and teach children with warmth, structure and understanding.
• Office of the eSafety Commissioner has excellent resources and reporting mechanisms for children, parents and educators.

Karen Flanagan AM is Save the Children Australia’s Child Protection Advocate. She is a qualified social worker with 34 years of clinical, managerial, training and research experience in national and international child protection. As a member of Save the Children International – Child Protection Global Theme Steering Group, Karen helps determine child protection policy and practice direction across 120 countries.

1 ‘Signs of abuse and neglect’ webpage, accessed 17.11.17, from the Queensland Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services