Life Without Barriers receives the Child Safe Organisation Award for our demonstrated commitment to the ongoing journey of creating a child-focused culture that keeps children safe and well.
Image: Left to right: Sarah Galbraith, Executive Director QLD/NT, Child, Youth and Family, Carly Jacobitz, Deputy Chief Executive, Child, Youth and Family, and Melinda Clarke, Manager Child Safe Organisation, at the Queensland Child Protection Week Awards Ceremony, standing in front of a banner.
The Queensland Child Protection Week Awards celebrated and acknowledged the contributions and achievements of individuals and organisations across 11 categories for their outstanding commitment to child protection.
Life Without Barriers is a long-standing member of the Queensland Child Protection Week (QCPW) Committee, which includes more than 30 organisations. Since 2015, Rachael Anderson, Director of Regulatory Affairs & Accreditation, has proudly represented Life Without Barriers on the committee and is currently serving her second year as Chair.
"The ceremony is a special moment to stop and acknowledge the important contributions of award recipients for their outstanding work in supporting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people in Queensland," said Rachael.
"With the key message of 'protecting children being everyone’s business', these awards are really about the lives of children touched by amazing volunteers and professionals."
Image: Rachael Anderson, Director Regulatory Affairs & Accreditation, delivering her speech at the Queensland Child Protection Week Awards.
The Child Protection Week Awards ceremony marked the launch of Child Protection Week, an annual event dedicated to creating communities that prioritise the safety and wellbeing of every child.
"For every organisation engaging with children, in all the communities across Queensland, our goal must be to ensure that in every engagement with a child or a young person, in every moment, there is clarity, obligation and heart for every adult, to recognise their responsibility to contribute to the protection of all children," said Rachael.
This year, Life Without Barriers was honoured to be the award recipient of the Child Safe Organisation Award for our demonstrated commitment to the ongoing journey of creating a child-focused culture that keeps children safe and well, in line with implementation of the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.
"This award is an acknowledgment of the work we’ve done over many years to make child safety part of everyday conversation." said Melinda Clarke, Manager, Child Safe Organisation.
"It's wonderful to be in the company of all the very worthy winners, the people and organisations who work hard to protect and promote children’s right to safety."
Image: Melinda Clarke, Manager Child Safe Organisation, receiving the Child Safe Organisation Award from presenter Luke Twyford, CEO & Principal Commissioner Queensland Child & Family Commission.
This award acknowledged our continued work through our We Put Children First campaign, an initiative focused on preventing child sexual abuse by educating staff, carers, children and the broader community about recognising the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behaviours and understand the importance of speaking up about child safety concerns.
All staff and carers are required to be a part of this commitment, to recognise the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behaviours and understand the importance of speaking up about child safety concerns.
"I’m proud of our work at Life Without Barriers, where we’re not afraid to say out loud that there are risks to children in all organisations - including our own," said Melinda.
"We strive to embed child safety, not just in policy, but in conversations, decisions, and actions,"
"We know that a culture where children are valued is the key to building safety."
"We don’t get it right all the time, but we understand that child sexual abuse in organisations can be prevented."
Image: Melanie Clarke, Manager Child Safe Organisation, stands behind a podium, delivering her award acceptance speech.
As a community, we have a collective responsibility to protect children from abuse and harm, and knowledge sharing is a practical way to achieve this. Many researchers have contributed to our knowledge of child safety and wellbeing, and we are proud to share our knowledge and practice with other organisations that work with children.
"We share our resources, because protecting children is a shared endeavour, not a competitive one," said Melinda.
"We must listen to children, speak about uncomfortable topics, educate, change policy and law, form alliances, and hold each other accountable, so children can be safe as they move through the world."
