Strings, sealing wax and other fancy stuff
Children's Rights
ACECQA NQF Conference Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre 13 September 2013
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1. Acknowledgments
Slide 1 – Introduction
I would like to acknowledge and pay my respects to the Traditional Owners of the land we meet on today – the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, and pay respect to their elders both past and present.
It is on their lands that the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre is built. I would also like to acknowledge any Aboriginal people present here today.
Slide 2 – Photo of child playing
Adults, like children, love to play.
And, as you know, article 31 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child gives to every child the right to rest, leisure and play.
So, in the spirit of this, we’re going to play a quick game of trivia to see how much you really know about kids!
In your packs you have a bit of paper called kids trivia, and you’ll need a pen.
Slide 3 – What is a flopper?
So the first question is: In modern kid parlance what is a flopper?
A: someone who often cancels at the last minute
Or
B: someone who can’t make up their mind
Slide 4 - answer
The answer is A.
Slide 5 – What does POS stand for?
The second question is: What does the text term POS stand for?
A: pic of self
Or
B: parents over shoulder
Slide 6 – answer
The answer is B.
Slide 7 – Destroyer in online games?
The third question… A person who destroys your character in an online game is called:
A: A Messer
B: A Griefer
Slide 8 - answer
The answer is B
Slide 9 – A random is?
Fourth question, a random is:
A: A stranger
B: Something that crops up
Slide 10 - answer
The answer is A
Slide 11 – A fail would be…
And Fifth question: A Fail would be:
A: doing badly in a test
B: walking into a door
Slide 12 – answer
And the answer is B
Put up your hands if you got all five right, well done! But sorry, no prizes.
Who got less than three right? I think many of us need a crash course from our kids.
And while we can learn a heap from them, they can also learn a heap from you, and be supported to develop in optimal ways.
With around 1.2 million Australian children between 0 and 12 attending early education and care services, and around 89 per cent enrolled in preschool in 2011, this is such fertile ground to make a positive contribution to our children’s education, social development and overall wellbeing.
Slide 13 – The Big Banter
And like you I want to help make the lives of Australian children and young people better.
I also believe that children and young people are the experts about their own lives and that by listening to them we enhance their capabilities and personal resilience. In fact, article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child sets out that having a voice and a say in decisions which affect them is a fundamental right which children hold.
So my initial priority as Australia’s first National Children’s Commissioner has been to conduct the Big Banter nationallistening tour.
Through the Big Banter I’ve met with around 1000 children face-to-face.
And to date I’ve heard from a further 650 kids from my online survey and reply-paid postcards.
And I’ve listened to children’s advocates from right across the country.
I’ve bantered in Queensland and New South Wales.
I’ve heard from children and young people in Tasmania and Victoria.
And I’ve learned a great deal from children in South Australia and the ACT.
I’ve also had a few outback adventures in the Northern Territory, and most recently in Western Australia.
Slide 14 - Susan’s speeding ticket
Slide 15 - A slide with survey priorities
Children and their advocates have raised lots of different issues.
And some issues have been raised many times.
But the Big Banter is still ongoing, so I can’t yet draw firm conclusions about what I’ve heard.
What I can do today is share the voices of some of the children I’ve heard from so far.
It is clear to me that children and young people want to have a good home and family life.
They also want to feel safe, and they are concerned about the level of violence in the communities they live in. They want people to respect each other and they want to be respected. And they definitely want to have a say. They worry that many families cannot afford to do things children would like to do. And they would like their world to be free of alcohol and drugs.
And – unsurprisingly – play is a great source of happiness for all children.
Slide 16 – Puff
But as you know children have a wonderful sense of fun and brilliant imaginations. As you can see many suggestions related to what I refer to as strings, sealing wax and other fancy stuff – a sort of homage to the imaginary world of my childhood.
Slide 17 – Newtown OSHC, NSW
This photo is from the out of school hours care centre at Newtown, where Karen and I did the filming for the video you saw.
Most of the kids here were very happy to run around, play with their friends and explore on their own.
Importantly, the staff at Newtown were happy to play with the kids too.
The kids told me that they liked fun and games and activities, and they liked to play with their friends, and with the adult too.
Slide 18 – Northfield OSHC, SA
When I was in South Australia, I asked children at Northfield out of school hours care what rights they thought would make life better for children.
These South Australian kids said that life would be better for children if:
Everyone was safe
There were no guns
Everyone had a place to live
And there was a peace code so that everyone speaks kindly and is a peace maker
Slide 19 – Burgmann OSHC, ACT
The kids at Burgmann out of school hours care in the ACT had their own points to make.
They wanted a world where:
There was no bullying
Every kid has a carer
Orphans have good families
And children have lots of play areas
Slide 20 – Goulburn Street Primary, TAS
The Grade 5 and 6 students at Goulburn Street Primary School in Tasmania told me about their ideal world where:
The world was smoke-free
Kids were able to vote
And people could marry who they want
Slide 21 – Belyuen Primary School, NT
Children at Belyuen Primary School in a remote part of the Northern Territory told me about the importance of:
Having a house and their own bedrooms
Their school
The roads being good so they could get around
Hunting, fishing and culture
Being with friends and family
Slide 22 – Sacred Heart Primary School, WA
I asked Year 6 children at Sacred Heart Primary School in Western Australia who they would go to get help from if they had a problem.
They told me that they’d go and see:
Police if something really bad was happening
An older brother or sister
But most said they worry about telling their parents things because of how they might react
Slide 23 – Berry Street alternative care, VIC
When I visited children in Victoria living in care, the issues they raised focused more on survival and development.
Of course these kids have lived through some pretty tough circumstances, and many of them come from families with very complex needs.
They said that life would be better if:
There were no random agency staff
They had food, clothes, money and transport
Eeveryone had houses to live in
Slide 24 – Albert Park Flexi School, QLD
Young People at an alternate school in Brisbane told me about their personal experiences.
They said that life would be better if:
We were not stereotyped at school
We were not pushed into the mental health too hard basket
We were listened to and respected
If people weren’t bullied for being different
Slide 25 – Overview of TBB
So as you can see I’ve been very busy, listening intently, and I’ve enjoyed the process immensely.
Although the Big Banter is soon to conclude, it’s not yet over and so I urge everyone in this room to get involved.
Tell me about the issues affecting the children you work with and advocate for.
Encourage the children you represent to have their own say by completing the Big Banter survey online at somethingincommon.gov.au/thebigbanter. You can also take away the prepaid postcards I have brought along and ask children to write or draw on them.
Listening to young children means respecting their views and opinions on a whole range of issues that effect them, whether simple or complex. Listening to children helps us to take their thoughts and feelings into account.
Because of your roles you are in a unique position to both listen to children and help shape their lives. The centres and schools I have visited that engage children best, whether in a remote community or urban environment, whether better or less well resourced, whether somewhat chaotic or more structured - are the ones where the kids have trusting relationships with centre staff, feel safe and are encouraged and empowered to have a say.
As practitioners you can do so many things that will make a positive difference to children: by sharing practice, undertaking projects and activities that focus on listening to young children, as well as using children's voices to inform the design, development and delivery of services. So on that note, thank you for your time, and I encourage you all to “get listening” and continue to enjoy the conference.
