Supporting disclosure: SNAICC resource strengthens responses to child safety concerns

SNAICC – National Voice for our Children, resource designed to support early childhood educators and professionals in responding to disclosures of abuse or harm.

Titled Believe, Inquire, Respond to Disclosures, the resource forms part of SNAICC’s ongoing work to support culturally safe and child-centred practices that protect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and promote their wellbeing.

Responding effectively to a disclosure of abuse is a critical responsibility for anyone working with children, particularly in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings where trust-based relationships are often formed. Children may disclose directly, indirectly, or through behaviour. How adults respond can have a profound impact on the child’s sense of safety and the likelihood of ongoing disclosure or help-seeking.

The Believe, Inquire, Respond resource provides practical, culturally responsive guidance to:

• Recognise the signs and signals that may indicate harm
• Respond with sensitivity and cultural awareness
• Build safe environments where children feel heard, respected and believed

The guide is structured around three essential, interrelated principles:

1. Believe
   All disclosures, direct or indirect, must be believed. Children rarely lie about abuse. Believing and validating a child’s experience builds trust and strengthens the foundation for healing and protection.
2. Inquire
   Asking curious, open-ended, and non-leading questions allows children to tell their story in their own words. Educators should listen more than they speak and avoid assumptions or interrogative questioning.
3. Respond
   Effective responses involve taking action in line with legal obligations, service protocols, and cultural safety principles. Responding includes reassuring the child, recording the disclosure accurately, and reporting appropriately.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children experience higher rates of child protection involvement, often driven by systemic issues rather than individual or family failures. SNAICC’s resource frames disclosure responses within a broader understanding of intergenerational trauma, racism, and the importance of cultural safety.

The guide reinforces the need for:

• Respectful engagement with families and communities
• Awareness of past harms caused by institutions
• Trauma-informed and culturally aware practices

While developed with First Nations children in mind, Believe, Inquire, Respond offers valuable insights for all educators working in early learning, child and family services, and community programs. The principles outlined can support service-wide improvements in safeguarding children and responding to harm.

Access Believe, Inquire, Respond to Disclosures via SNAICC website here.