Goodstart launches Protective Strategies kit during Child Protection Week

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) provider Goodstart Early Learning recently launched a protective strategies kit called Feel Safe, Be Safe in line with National Child Protection Week.

The release of the kit, Goodstart’s National Lead for Safeguarding Children Sara Evans said, reaffirms the organisation’s commitment to being a Child Safe Organisation and to prevent, identify and respond to child abuse, neglect and harm. 

The protective strategies kit enables educators and teachers to empower children with the knowledge that they have a right to feel safe and be safe all of the time and they can talk to a trusted adult about anything.   

When these age-appropriate strategies (sometimes also referred to as protective behaviours) are taught to young children, Ms Evans continued, children are then equipped with the skills to recognise and respond to potentially unsafe situations (including online), understand their bodies, emotions and early warning signs, set boundaries and persist in seeking help from trusted adults when needed.   

“When we teach children protective strategies, we help to safeguard them from harm,” she said. 

“Teaching children protective strategies is not new – the difference between Goodstart’s Feel Safe, Be Safe Protective Strategies Kit and other time-limited programs is that these protective strategies are woven into everyday teaching and learning, routines, transitions, play experiences and relationships.

“Importantly, our Feel Safe, Be Safe Protective Strategies Kit is for children aged birth to five years and also includes resources for families to use at home.”

The Protective Strategies Kit draws on national and international contemporary best practice and is underpinned by the Early Years Learning Framework (Version 2) and the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations and state-based Child Safe Standards.