(Insert site letterhead)

Red font indicates a choice – please remove whichever option does not apply.

Each red section is divided into CPC band levels and includes links with the curriculum.

Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum

Dear Parent/Caregiver,

I am writing to inform you about the Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum (KS:CPC) that your child/ren will be learning throughout the year. The teachers delivering the program have received explicit training in the Curriculum. It is a Department for Education and Child Development (DECD) responsibility under the Children’s Protection Act (1993) and theChild Protection in Schools, Early Childhood Education and Care Services policy to ensure thateffective abuse prevention programs are implemented and that all children and young people have access to the approved child protection curriculum. Although parent permission is not required under the Education Act (1972), we encourage parents/caregivers to seek further clarification if required and to provide the teacher with any relevant information about their child that could alleviate any concerns.

The KS:CPC is an evidence based, best practice curriculum developed collaboratively with child protection specialists, teachers, educational leaders and other professionals. It covers a range of topics including new additional material on current issues such as bullying and cyber safety.

The KS:CPC is divided into 5documents specific to the year level of the studentsplus 2 additional documents for educators working with studentsfrom cultural or linguistically diverse backgrounds and for students with disability.

There are 2 main themes:

  • We all have the right to be safe
  • We can help ourselves to be safe by talking to people we trust

There are4 focus areas:

“Insert for Ages 3-5”

The right to be safe

  • feelings, exploring the topics of safe and unsafe, warning signs

Relationships

  • identity and relationships, fair and unfair, trust and networks

Recognising and reporting abuse

  • privacy and names of body parts, touching, recognizing abuse,secrets

Protective strategies

  • strategies for keeping safe.

Child protection and safety are an important part of the Early Years Learning Framework. Fundamental to the Framework is a view of children’s lives as characterised by belonging, being and becoming. Aspects of child protection and safety are embedded throughout the 5 learning outcomes:

  • Children have a strong sense of identity
  • Children are connected with and contribute to their world
  • Children have a strong sense of wellbeing
  • Children are confident and involved learners
  • Children are effective communicators.

“Insert for Years R-2”

The right to be safe

  • feelings, being safe, warning signs, risk taking and emergencies

Relationships

  • trust and networks, rights and responsibilities, use and abuse of power

Recognising and reporting abuse

  • names of parts of the body, recognizing abusive situations and secrets

Protective strategies

  • practisingprotective strategies, persistence.

The KS:CPC fits primarily within the Health and Physical Education learning area of the Australian Curriculum but can also be incorporated across other Learning Areas. Within the Health and Physical Education curriculum two focus areas Relationships and Safety outline the learning.

“Insert for Years 3-5”

The right to be safe

  • exploring the concept of safety, reviewing the concept of warning signs, unsafe situations and acceptable risk taking

Relationships

  • understanding rights and responsibilities, trust and networks, developing personal identity, power in relationships

Recognising and reporting abuse

  • privacy and names of parts of the body, recognizing abuse, neglect and unsafe secrets, internet, telephone and media safety

Protective strategies

  • problem solving and keeping safe, review of networks.

The KS:CPC fits primarily within the Health and Physical Education learning area of the Australian Curriculum but can also be incorporated across other Learning Areas. Within the Health and Physical Education curriculum two focus areas Relationships and Sexuality, and Safety outline the learning.

“Insert for Years 6-9”

The right to be safe

  • safety and risk taking, warning signs and emergencies

Relationships

  • rights and responsibilities in relationships, power in relationships, bullying as an abuse of power

Recognising and reporting abuse

  • recognizing abuse, identifying abuse and neglect, electronic media abuse

Protective strategies

  • problem solving strategies, network view and community support

The KS:CPC fits primarily within the Health and Physical Education learning area of the Australian Curriculum but can also be incorporated across other Learning Areas. Within the Health and Physical Education curriculum two focus areas Relationships and Sexuality, and Safety outline the learning.

“Insert for Years 10-12”

The right to be safe

  • recognizing and assessing risk, psychological pressure and manipulation

Relationships

  • a matter of rights, rights and responsibilities in relationships, power in relationships

Recognising and reporting abuse

  • identifying abuse and neglect, acting to report abuse and neglect

Protective strategies

  • problem solving strategies, network review and community support

The KS:CPC fits primarily within the Health and Physical Education learning area of the Australian Curriculum but can also be incorporated across other Learning Areas. Within the Health and Physical Education curriculum two focus areas Relationships and Sexuality, and Safety outline the learning.

More information can be found on the DECD child protection curriculum site

Please contact …………………………………. (school contact person) if you have any questions about the program.

Yours Sincerely,