Every conversation matters: SACPP shifting conversations to action

A parent who pauses before insisting a child hug a relative goodbye. A teacher who notices a change in a child's behaviour and asks a gentle question. A carer who keeps a conversation about safety going, in small pieces, over months rather than as one big talk. None of these moments make headlines. But they're exactly what National Child Protection Week is asking Australians to pay attention to.

 

This year's theme, Every Conversation Matters, Shifting Conversation to Action, set by the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN), calls on all of us as parents, carers, educators, professionals and community members to move beyond raising awareness and into sustained, practical action that keeps children safe.

 

At Kids First Australia, that shift isn't a once-a-year exercise. It's the premise our specialist teams work from every day.

 

“National Child Protection Week's call to shift conversation into action reflects what our SACPP team sees every day, that protecting children isn't one decision or one conversation, it's built through hundreds of small, informal moments between a child and the safe adults around them," said Shureeka Alves, Kids First Manager, Therapeutic Services.

 

National Child Protection Week frames child protection as everyone's business, not just the responsibility of statutory systems or specialist services, but something built through the everyday actions of the adults around a child.

 

That's the same philosophy behind Kids First's Sexual Abuse Counselling and Prevention Program (SACPP). Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in the prevention of and response to child sexual abuse, the SACPP team identified a persistent gap where, parents and carers are often the first people a child turns to after a disclosure, yet many feel underprepared, overwhelmed, and unsure how to respond in ways that support recovery. Long waitlists for clinical support can also leave families without guidance during the period when early responses matter most.

 

In response, SACPP translated specialist therapeutic knowledge, trauma-informed practice, attachment theory, and digital safety planning into a free, three-module video series: Supporting your child through trauma. Videos within the series, have now been viewed more than 90,000 times and the initiative was recognised as a finalist for the Minister's Award for Excellence in Protecting Children at the 2026 Victorian Protecting Children Awards.

 

The Australian Child Maltreatment Study found that more than one in four Australians has experienced child sexual abuse, and 17.7% experienced online sexual victimisation before the age of 18. Against that backdrop, equipping the adults around a child has a direct bearing on outcomes. As one parent who watched the series put it, "I'm so glad I watched these videos as now I have practical tips and an understanding of why my child has been having big reactions to small things."

 

It's a small illustration of a larger point the National Child Protection Week makes each year which is prevention doesn't happen in a single conversation or intervention. It happens in the accumulation of small, informed actions noticing, listening, responding, and returning to a topic again when a child is ready.

 

The SACPP team is also building on this work.

 

A new Kids First video series focused on Protective Behaviours and body safety is currently in production, translating specialist knowledge into practical guidance, that parents, carers and educators can use to build children's understanding of body safety through everyday conversations, rather than relying on a single, one-off talk. It is our next step in making prevention knowledge accessible to the adults around children, giving them practical language and tools they can use long before a concern or disclosure occurs. More details about the new series will be shared later this year.

 

National Child Protection Week runs from 6 to 12 September 2026, but the work it points to continues year-round. Kids First's free education videos are available for any parent, carer or educator looking for a practical place to start. Visit our website for broader child, youth and family services.

 

If you or someone you know needs support, help is available through
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) 
Lifeline (13 11 14)
Kids First Intake intake@kidsfirstaustralia.org.au or phone (03) 9450 0900