Dear Parents/Caregivers,
Catholic Education WA schools are Christ-centered and child-focused learning communities that support each child to develop to their full God-given potential. Key to this is ensuring the learning environment is engaging, supportive and safe. All members of our school share the responsibility for creating and maintaining this healthy culture. By working together we can ensure all children flourish in a safe and healthy environment.
Recognising that each child has the right to be heard is an important element in the CEWA Child Safe framework. At Holy Rosary we teach students that they have the right to be safe and we empower them with the language, skills and strategies to assist in their safety by talking to people that they trust.
It is a requirement that all students receive a protective behaviours and sexual abuse prevention education (10.6 Registration Standards for Non-Government Schools).
At Holy Rosary school we are implementing the Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum (KS:CPC) which is an evidence-based child safety curriculum that teaches children to recognise abuse, tell a trusted adult, understand what is appropriate and inappropriate touching and ways of keeping themselves safe. The KS:CPC fits primarily within the Health and Physical Education learning area of the Australian Curriculum but is also taught across multiple learning areas.
The curriculum is based on two main themes:
We all have the right to be safe
We can help ourselves to be safe by talking to people we trust.
The themes are presented through four Focus Areas:
1. The right to be safe
2. Relationships
3. Recognising and reporting abuse
4. Protective strategies
In Focus Area 3, which usually is taught in the second half of the year, the class is taught about recognising and reporting abuse, in an age appropriate way. Students will learn the correct anatomical names for all parts of the body, including breasts, vagina, vulva, penis, testicles and bottom. We will reinforce that they are in charge of their whole body and no one has the right to touch them without their permission.
Teaching children anatomically correct terms promotes positive body image, self confidence, and parent-child communication; discourages perpetrators; and, in the event of abuse, helps children and adults navigate the disclosure and forensic interview process (National Sexual Violence Resource Centre, 2013). It makes communication clearer because they can tell someone and importantly, it communicates that the adults can hear about that part of the body from a child, and that it’s not something embarrassing or shameful that you have to hide (American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect, 2013).
Holy Rosary school relies on strong partnerships with you, as parents and carers, to provide your child with the best possible learning and development opportunities. Working together we can ensure all children and young people flourish in a safe and healthy environment. If you have any further questions about this information or the Keeping Safe Child Protection Curriculum in general, please speak with your classroom teacher or the Principal.
Kind Regards
Yvette Clifton