4 September, 2020

Catholic schools throughout the Diocese of Sale will reinforce the importance of child safety to teachers, parents and students from September 6, in line with National Child Protection Week.

Director of Catholic Education for the Diocese of Sale, Ms Maria Kirkwood, said that National Child Protection Week is a timely reminder to stay focussed on online safety, as many children are spending time online due to remote schooling and social distancing.

“Our aim is to keep our students safe, regardless of where they are learning. We provide a range of resources and training for our staff, along with age-appropriate lessons for children about personal safety strategies.

“During National Child Protection Week, I encourage everyone to take a moment to learn more about child safety through free resources like the eSafety Commissioner’s website,” she said.

National Child Protection Week is held annually across Australia to raise awareness of child abuse prevention. The objective of the week is to raise the profile of all issues connected with child protection.

Ms Kirkwood said that Diocese of Sale Catholic Education Ltd (DOSCEL) has pledged support for this year’s Child Protection Week, and that the theme, Putting children first, aligned with DOSCEL’s child safety commitment.

“We are constantly working to improve our practices and facilities to ensure that we create a safe and nurturing culture for all children and young people in Catholic schools.

“We have experienced an incredibly fast shift towards remote schooling, which has created some challenges, but I’m very proud of the way our schools and families have adapted.

“It has been wonderful to see our communities following the example of our Lord, Jesus Christ, staying connected and taking care of each other,” she said.