Morcombe family visit Community Kids Yandina 1 ahead of award win

Bruce and Denise Morcombe of the Morcombe Foundation visited Community Kids Yandina 1 as part of Child Protection Week. 

 

The visit fell days after Community Kids approved provider, G8 Education, was awarded Queensland Child Protection Week – Child Safe Organisation for 2022.

 

The Morcombe Foundation’s educational resource manager, Bianca Davis, addressed families on the importance of ‘talking early’ about personal safety with children.

 

“They need to talk to them about their body parts, teach their kids the proper names for their body parts, talk to them about how they feel, teach them to recognise unsafe situations, talk to them about how to react, teach them to say no, run, scream, tell someone…teach them that they have the right to be safe,” she said.

 

“By normalising topics often considered embarrassing builds confidence and provides a resilience to lock predators out, reducing their risk of harm.”

 

Child safety is “the highest priority” for Community Kids Yandina 1, Centre Manager Simone Binnerts added.

 

“We prioritise creating secure, child-friendly and engaging environments where our children are respected and valued,” she said.

 

“Our centre, like every G8 Education centre, has a Child Protection Champion who works to embed best practice, and encourage our teams to participate in on-going training.”

 

“The Foundation’s presentation was incredibly informative, and I am sure many of our families, educators and teachers will take away some valuable strategies and resources.”

 

Mr and Mrs Morcombe said it was an honour to join the centre’s event, and to recognise the educators, teachers and support team for the work they are doing to keep children safe.

 

“Congratulations on being awarded as the Child Safe Organisation for 2022, it is very well deserved. We know you would have worked hard to obtain this award,” they said. 

 

G8’s Child Protection Manager Sophie Wilkie said she was honoured to take receipt of the award on behalf of the organisation, aware that “the work doesn’t stop here”. 

 

“We will continue to create safe and secure spaces every day that allow our children to have their voices heard.“

 

To learn more about the Daniel Morcombe Foundation, or its ‘Talk Early’ initiative visit the Daniel Morcombe Foundation website.