Child protection, sometimes referred to as Safeguarding, is the prevention of abuse and neglect of children. This includes intervention and treatment of child maltreatment. It is a complex and challenging issue, but it is one that is essential to the well-being of children. 

But as an organisation, how do you do it? How do you meet your legal and moral obligations?

It’s a challenging area, however one that must be addressed by a variety of service providers such as day care centres, schools and any other places involving children, such as sporting institutions. 

Having appropriately trained staff is a vital requirement to ensure the wellbeing of children. Effective training in this area covers:   

Prevention: This involves educating parents and caregivers about child development and healthy parenting practices, as well as providing support and resources to families in need.

Identification: Knowing what to look for, identifying key indicators and causal factors that require further investigation.

Intervention: Responding to reports of child abuse or neglect, and providing services to help families address the issues that led to the maltreatment.

Treatment: Providing therapy and other services to help children who have been abused or neglected heal from their experiences.

Here are some basic tips for Child Protection:

  • Be aware of the signs of child abuse and neglect. These can include physical injuries, emotional problems, social withdrawal, and changes in behaviour.
  • Report suspected child abuse or neglect to the authorities. You can do this by calling the child abuse hotline or going to your local child protective services office.
  • Support families in need. This can involve providing financial assistance, parenting education, or other resources.
  • Speak up against child abuse and neglect. If you see something, say something.

Some additional resources for further reading:

We all have an obligation to protect children from harm and there’s lots of training around in this space. At the Professional Investigators College of Australasia (PICA), we have subject matter experts who have worked in the field of child protection for well over a decade within a law enforcement environment. What this means is that you’ll get the best, practical training from the leaders in the field of safeguarding. 

Our training is specifically designed to meet your needs, industry and legal requirements. It’s our mission to improve the capability of those responsible for care of our children. 

Learn more and enroll yourself or your company in PICA training today!