New campaign from Barnardos aims to raise awareness of child abuse and neglect

Barnardos Australia has launched a new awareness campaign which aims to bring to light the alarming statistics around child abuse and neglect in Australia. 

Every 13 minutes in Australia a child suffers abuse or neglect, and Barnardos hopes that through sharing how these hard facts give Barnardos workers the determination, courage and ambition for change, more Australians will join the fight for change. 

The campaign features Barnardos social workers Anna (from Sydney Metro) and Mark (from Western NSW) talking about how they will never rest; never stop helping children, young people and their families.

Both Anna and Mark are genuine workers who deal with the frontline aspects of abuse and neglect, and each of them share their personal insights into the issue and how they deal with facing child abuse and neglect day in and day out – something which may be of value to fellow front line workers such as those in early childhood education and care. 

Rather than feeling overwhelmed or hopeless at the scale of the problem, the campaign offers insights into how the work they do has made them the people they are and instilled in them the hope to believe they can bring about change.

“I had a really good start in life. I do what I do because that’s what every child deserves,” Anna shared. 

“Emotionally, I carry the children and families that I work with, with me every day. We should be devastated that that has happened to any child.”

Mark was driven to the profession because “there’s something inside that drives me to work alongside children, young people and their families – and to see them heal from the effects of trauma of abuse in their life.” 

“I’m surprised that we don’t have more of an understanding of what trauma and disadvantage is like in Australia. If you go into your community with different eyes and allow your eyes to be open, you’ll see the trauma, you’ll see the disadvantage and you’ll see where perhaps where you can make a difference.”

Anna’s story can be found here. To view Mark’s story, see here. Short form videos of Anna and Mark are also available. 

For more information on the campaign please see here.