A review into child safety in Victoria found that many people are unsure how to respond to potential child sexual abuse and needed better guidance.
Parents and carers know their child best and are often the first to notice if something is wrong.
This guidance has been developed in response to the child safety review recommendation and includes resources by child safety experts to help you:
- have age-appropriate conversations about body safety with your child
- know the signs of child sexual abuse and grooming
- raise concerns if something doesn’t feel right.
Safety in early childhood services
High-quality and safe early childhood education and care is important for children’s development and wellbeing.
Early childhood services must have safe learning environments where children are protected from harm and abuse and concerns about abuse are reported. These legal requirements are set out in national laws and the Child Safe Standards.
Early childhood services, including long day care and kindergarten services, are assessed and rated against the 7 National Quality Standards. This includes one focused on children’s health and safety.
You can check the quality ratings and compliance history of any long day care or kindergarten service in Australia at startingblocks.gov.au.
Age-appropriate conversations with children about body safety
Talking about body safety from an early age helps children recognise when they may be unsafe and say no when something doesn’t feel right.
When children understand that it’s not okay for someone to touch or see their body, it can help them tell someone they trust if this happens.
Child safety experts say it’s important to use simple words that children understand, teach the correct names for body parts, and explain what private parts are.
You can introduce body safety messages in ways that suit your child and their age. This may be through everyday conversations or by using books, pictures or play.
Signs of grooming
Grooming is a process that is used to build trust and an emotional connection with a child, or their parent or carer, with the aim of child sexual abuse.
It can be hard to tell when a child is being groomed, because it can look like ‘normal’ caring behaviour.
Professional practice in early childhood education and care is based on warm and responsive relationships with children.
These relationships support children’s learning, development and wellbeing
Grooming is a pattern of manipulative behaviours that misuses trust to harm a child.
Examples of possible grooming behaviours at early childhood services
Grooming behaviours towards a child may include:
- making repeated, close, inappropriate physical contact – e.g., hugging, tickling, wrestling, having the child sit on their lap, lying beside the child during rest time
- developing an unusually strong friendship and making the child feel favoured – e.g., giving extra attention, gifts or special privileges.
Grooming behaviours towards a parent or carer may include:
- developing an unusually close relationship with the family
- offering to babysit or help outside of professional hours, e.g., taking the child to sport or events.
Signs a child may have been sexually abused
Children may not tell you they’ve been sexually abused.
Child safety experts say some children may show subtle signs, and others may not show any signs at all. Signs can also change over time as a child develops.
Behavioural signs may include changes in sleeping patterns, loss of interest in activities once enjoyed and stomach pains and headaches.
Emotional signs may include crying a lot or not at all, getting angry for no apparent reason and fear of a particular person or place.
Physical signs may include bruises and swelling, bleeding, urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted infections and discomfort when urinating.
These are examples of possible signs, there may be others.
Child safety experts say while these signs don’t necessarily mean a child has been sexually abused, it’s important to consider the possibility, especially if there are multiple signs.
What to do if your child discloses sexual abuse
If your child tells you they have been sexually abused, child safety experts say to believe them and help your child feel safe.
It can be helpful to stay as calm as possible and let your child talk in their own words, without interrupting them.
How to raise a concern or make a complaint
If you have a concern about child sexual abuse or grooming behaviours at an early childhood service, it is important to speak up.
If you believe a crime may have been committed, call 000 to report it or contact your local police station to speak with a police officer.
You can also raise a concern or make a complaint with:
- the early childhood service directly – services must have clear processes for making a complaint and who to speak to
- the Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (VECRA), the independent regulator for early childhood education and care. Call 1300 307 415 or submit an online complaint.
By sharing information about your concern, authorities can investigate and respond appropriately.
You should be informed of any investigation and the outcome, no matter who you raise your concern or make a complaint with.
Your family should feel respected and protected at all times.
If you have a concern, even if it seems small, it is worth raising
You could talk to your service and say, for example: “I’ve noticed something that I’m not sure about and I’d like to talk it through”.
If you do not feel comfortable speaking directly to the service, you can contact VECRA or visit the complaints webpage for more information.
You can remain anonymous if you’d prefer but sharing the service details, your name and contact information can help VECRA staff to make further enquiries.
Where to reach out for more information or support
If you need support or are concerned about your child in any way, trusted professionals can help.
A good place to start is contacting a local sexual assault service – see Centres Against Sexual Assault (CASAs) to find one in your area.
You can also talk to your family doctor or local Maternal and Child Health service.
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