protective behaviours and BODY SAFETY
eSafeKids strives to reduce and prevent harm through proactive prevention education, supporting and inspiring parents, carers, educators and other professionals to talk with children, young people and vulnerable adults about protective behaviours and body safety.
eSafeKids delivers workshops and webinars across metropolitan and regional Australia, as well as internationally.
Teaching children Protective Behaviours and Body Safety in age and developmentally appropriate ways doesn't take away a child's innocence, it helps to protect it.
To prevent abuse, reduce violence and promote safety and wellbeing, protective behaviours education focuses on developing life skills of empowerment, self-awareness, emotional intelligence, problem solving, help seeking, persistence and assertiveness.
Learn more about Protective Behaviours.
Prevalence of Child Abuse in Australia
Findings from the 2023 Australian Child Maltreatment Study found 28.5% of Australian children experience child sexual abuse before 18 years of age, that’s 1 in 3 girls and almost 1 in 5 boys.
Australian children experienced child sexual abuse
More than 1 in 3 girls experience child sexual abuse
Almost 1 in 5 boys experience child sexual abuse
WORKSHOP CONTENT
Overview of Child Abuse in Australia
Child Abuse Facts, Myths & Misconceptions
Grooming Behaviours
Harmful Sexual Behaviours
Contextual Safe Guarding
Responding to a report of child abuse
Protective Interruption
Moving from Child Protection to Child Safeguarding
Asserting a Culture of Child Safety
Embedding key child abuse prevention learning areas.
Social Norms & Gender Stereotypes
Being Safe & Feeling Safe
Sexual Development
Emotional Intelligence, Feelings & Emotional Regulation
Body Clues, Cues & Warning Signs
Assessing Risk & Problem Solving
Secrets & Surprises
Public & Private - Including Public, Private & Personal Body Parts
Bodily Autonomy, Personal Space, Body Boundaries, Consent & Respect
Body Safety Basics
Body Safety Rules
Private Photos & Videos (Pornography)
Assertiveness
Permission to say no
Persistence
Networks & Safety Teams
Trusted Adults & Help Seeking
Conversation Starters
Resources to support in home education and curriculum delivery
Parent / Carer
Protective Behaviours & Body Safety
For many people, talking or even thinking about child sexual abuse, or any form of child abuse, can feel uncomfortable and challenging. You may not have experienced open conversations about these topics in your own childhood. Teaching children water safety, road safety and sun safety often comes more naturally to many parents, caregivers and grandparents. However, personal safety and body safety can feel harder to navigate.
This workshop supports parents/caregivers to better understand the prevalence, nature and impact of child abuse. Importantly, it also focuses on practical skills and strategies you can teach children to minimise and reduce the opportunity for harm to occur. You will learn how to decrease child safety risk factors and increase protective factors.
This workshop does not contain fear mongering or scare tactics. Instead, it provides research and evidence based information, translated into clear, easy to understand language. It is enriched by practical examples and simple, effective strategies you can implement straight away.
In Western Australia all students receive protective behaviours prevention education. This workshop compliments the Protective Behaviours education your child should be getting taught at school.
WA Government Schools Department of Education
Under the Department of Education’s Child Protection policy, principals are required to implement protective behaviours education that aligns with the Western Australian Curriculum across all phases of schooling.
WA Non-Government Schools Registration Standard 10
Preventing and Responding to Child Abuse
eSafeKids does not generally deliver in home education sessions. If this is a service you require please submit the contact form below and we can refer you to a service provider.
Professional
Protective Behaviours & Body Safety
Participants will leave this comprehensive, evidence-based workshop with up-to-date information, practical strategies, conversation starters and supporting resources.
eSafeKids provides books and resources to support curriculum delivery.
eSafeKids supports Early Childhood Education and Care services to embed Protective Behaviours & Body Safety education into everyday practice. Through training and resources, we help you create a shared approach to child safety that empowers educators, children and families. Click the link below to learn more.
In 2011 The Hon Peter Blaxell commenced a Special Inquiry ‘St Andrew’s Hostel Katanning: How the system and society failed our children’. The Blaxell Inquiry highlighted that historically, the teaching has been poor in the area of sex education and protective behaviours, specifically stating it has been; “... of a very low quality and usually limited to the occasional warnings of the “stranger danger” variety. The standard stereotype of child molesters being old men in raincoats sidling up to the school yard was very misleading for children.”
STUDENT WORKSHOPS
There remains a critical need for sexual abuse prevention education to be delivered to secondary school age students. eSafeKids Talking About Sexual Abuse workshop is designed to assist young people: identify unsafe situations; respond in unsafe situations; report unsafe situations.
Student Workshop FAQ
Educate, equip and empower children with knowledge through stories!
Reading with children provides an opportunity to teach vital life skills in a child friendly, fun, age and stage appropriate way. Reading books that are meaningful can have a lasting impact. Selecting books with teachable moments and content can assist you to discuss a wide range of topics, particularly those that are sometimes tricky and sensitive.
eSafeKids acknowledges the lifelong trauma of abuse experienced by
victims, survivors and their families. Society failed to protect, believe and respond justly to children, young people and adult victim survivors.
