Small fish of child protection

 Unite, Fabio Gioia, Italy from Good 50×70 ‘08: A winner in The project that helps social communication.

Child protection continues to be viewed by many as the job of the Government. While rhetoric tells us otherwise (government endorsed slogans and campaigns about child protection being a community responsibility), the power and control of statutory child protection agencies is frightening. They eat little fish like you and I if we do not do what they want!

In control of how good, safe and non abusive parenting is, I have experienced some child protection workers who treat their clients with total disrespect and non transparent practices that I consider abusive. It is those few workers who get statutory child protection a bad name and aid misunderstandings about the statutory nature of child protection and community responsibilities. Not all statutory workers are megalomaniac nor are they abusive in their micro practice skills. But, the good ones get swallowed up by the few bad ones. Unless the bad ones are challenged and their power taken back.

Despite individual views and complaints against the powerful control agents of child protection, child protection is still a community responsibility. As small fish, we have to take community child protection seriously and challenge whose responsibility it is to look after families and children. My view is that it is not solely the government’s job. Certainly statutory child protection is the pointy end of the stick – they come in after harm has occurred. Who looks after kids and acts to PREVENT child abuse. We do. Community does. YOU do.

What are you going to do today to ensure a community change away from having government control of child safety? I hate to break it to you but you are community. It is your responsibility to do something protective and to help change community culture. A zero tolerance of child abuse begins at home. No matter who perpetrates that abuse (Governments, business, cults or individuals) the tide must change and we small fish have to swim together against the sharks that hurt our babies.

Child protection is your responsibility. Do not give away your power by expecting someone else to always do it.

Start with some protective play from Parent Sense: a 12 page protective play tutorial. Have a conversation around personal safety. Just start! Child protection is in your hands, not the Government’s.

Get your rocks off for child safety

Be the change you want, hero day
June 13