In This Edition
Take the Festive Child Friendly Challenge Tell a child about your News Years Resolutions when you were a child Cook a meal for parents with young children Donate clothing, furniture or toys for use by another family Let a parent with children ahead of you in a shopping queue Spend at least one day of the holidays with the children in your life Visit http://www.napcan.org.au/pledge.php and sign the Pledge for a Child friendly Australia Include NAPCAN on your present list. Donate to NAPCAN	Message from Adam Blakester National Child Protection Week 2005 NAPCAN’s 18th Birthday Passionate about preventing child abuse? Download our new Child Friendly Communities Action Kit NAPCAN Embarks on a NEW Fundraising Initiative Young Visions of a Child Friendly Australia Thank you News from Victoria News from Western Australia News from New South Wales News from South Australia Support our Christmas Appeal
Message from Adam Blakester, Executive Officer
2005 has been an extraordinary year for Australia’s children and NAPCAN. In January we learnt that child abuse and neglect had doubled over a decade. Senate Inquiries into children in institutional care moved our politicians to tears, and action: two national Summits will take place in 2006. Despite these incredible challenges, the children and young people who NAPCAN has worked with – in our Macarthur workshops, during National Child Protection Week, at performances and events across Australia – have inspired us with their generosity, creativity, and universal visions for a child friendly Australia. NAPCAN launched its new strategic approach and plan in March with a focus and vision of ‘every Australian community being child friendly’. This new approach has inspired all of us at NAPCAN, and so many others, to support communities caring for children and their families. Nearly a 1⁄4 million people participated in National Child Protection Week, and we received record donations. We wish you the very best for this festive season, and look forward to working with you in 2006 to inspire every Australian to connect with a community-based activity where children and young people have played a part – building resilience for children and grounding all our work with young people at its heart.

National Child Protection Week 2005 – Creating a Child Friendly Macarthur

In 2005 it was decided to launch National Child Protection Week in Macarthur, NSW. Despite the region’s much-publicised social and economic challenges, NAPCAN saw an opportunity to make a difference. Macarthur’s track record of innovation and a ‘can do’ attitude encouraged NAPCAN that the region could become a model for the creation of child friendly regions around Australia.

A series of four children’s workshops were held during the week. These were facilitated by acclaimed Aboriginal artist Tex Skuthorpe. Through painting and words 80 local children expressed their vision of what they would like their community to be like in a hundred years time for their grandchildren.

Common themes emerged from these visions, notably the importance of relationships to children; the need for friendship and respect without any social economic or cultural barriers. The children were also concerned about their environment and the importance of basic needs such as food, shelter and education being met in their community.

The visions were presented to a forum of decision makers at the end of National Child Protection Week. The humility, simplicity, and universality of the children and young people’s visions moved and inspired every person in the room.

NAPCAN was presented with a clear and powerful vision for a Child Friendly Macarthur and is now identifying practical initiatives with Macarthur communities to make this vision a reality.

NAPCAN’s 18th Birthday - officially adult, but still a child (advocate) at heart

When a person turns 18 he or she usually throws a big party. A close family member or friend stands up and makes a speech celebrating all the important achievements that person has gained in their life so far, and probably tells a few embarrassing stories too! For NAPCAN Foundation, being 18 years young is a significant achievement in itself and it is time to acknowledge just how far the organisation has come since its official launch on 25th November 1987.

Led by the passion and commitment of its founders - Rosemary Sinclair AO and Christine Stewart - NAPCAN was founded to establish lines of communication between government departments and agencies, professionals and community groups working in child protection. Over almost two decades NAPCAN has built networks of 8 state and territory offices, 37 regional groups, 670 volunteers, 800 members, 8,000 organisations and 400 donors.

Since 1990 NAPCAN has coordinated National Child Protection Week, and each year the event continues to grow, becoming a bigger and bigger success – most recently with the support of a national Steering Committee. NAPCAN has also developed a formidable Advisory Council and Board.

High on the list of proud achievements are NAPCAN’s award-winning prevention campaigns including ‘Talking Baby’ TV campaign, ‘Its Not OK to Shake Babies, Stopping It Starts With US (with marie claire magazine) and the current ‘Don’t Just Stand There’ TV campaign. NAPCAN has distributed 20 million prevention tools (brochures, posters, videos) for English speaking as well as culturally and linguistically diverse users.

With the help of Aboriginal teacher and artist Tex Skuthorpe, we have produced a range of indigenous prevention booklets and posters ‘Using Aboriginal Art to Teach’ and conducted family and community workshops right across Australia. NAPCAN established Good Beginnings Australia – now a very successful independent community organisation working directly with vulnerable families.

Preventing child abuse and neglect before it starts has been NAPCAN’s mission throughout its 18 years of existence. NAPCAN has hosted international, national and state conferences including the 2004 IPSCAN Congress attended by 1,200 delegates from 71 countries.

In 2005, as we celebrate NAPCAN’s coming of age, the organisation has launched a new national approach and strategic plan to achieve our vision of every Australian community being child friendly. The greatest achievements are yet to come.

Congratulations to everyone who has helped us achieve so much already. Happy 18th Birthday NAPCAN!

Passionate about preventing child abuse? Download our Child Friendly Community Action Kit

Our newest resource, this kit is for everyone who is passionate about and committed to preventing child abuse and neglect. Child abuse and neglect affects the whole community – and leading evidence shows that it takes the whole community to prevent it. By making all communities child friendly, we will not just reduce instances of abuse and neglect, but prevent it from even happening in the first place. NAPCAN is eager to work with more communities across Australia. We need the passion and commitment of people like you. Together we can build a child friendly Australia – one community at a time. This kit provides you with all the information and inspiration you need, to help make your community child friendly. Along with background information on the issue of child abuse and neglect, this kit also offers step-by-step advice on forming your own Child friendly Community Action Group and planning your child friendly initiatives. Lists of further resources and inspiring examples of existing child friendly initiatives are also included. Download or view the kit online

NAPCAN Embarks on a NEW Fundraising Initiative

With the numbers of children and young people suffering from abuse and neglect, NAPCAN is pleased to announce the launch of a major fundraising initiative to commence in January 2006. The fundraising will take the form of a series of telemarketing raffles with a fantastic choice of prizes – by supporting the raffle you have the opportunity of choosing from three new cars or a $20,000 shopping spree from a leading retailer of homewares and electrical products.

NAPCAN will use these much needed funds during 2006 to work with children and young people toward their vision of a child friendly community. The funds will enable us to better resource our state and territory offices and to broaden our reach and support with communities across Australia.

The raffles will be conducted on behalf of NAPCAN by Voiceworks, Direct Marketing Partners who initially will be calling into NSW. So we would encourage you, if you have the opportunity, to buy tickets and to support NAPCAN and our work because you will be taking another step toward prevention of child abuse and neglect.

Thank you

NAPCAN thanks the following foundations for their generous support of our work in 2005:

• Allan Border and AB's Trek for Kids Foundation
• Ezibuy and Trelise Cooper
• Geddes Philanthropic Trust
• KPMG Foundation
• J A Gilbert

News from Victoria

NAPCAN Victoria recently had a very successful AGM with Margaret Armstrong giving a very stimulating presentation on her work in Restorative Justice. They also worked with Bendigo Bank to host Christmas by the Lake at Sanctuary Lakes on December 3rd. This was a free community event with children's activities, singing dancing, fireworks and Santa. This was an enjoyable event and raised much needed funds for NAPCAN with Bendigo Bank matching all funds raised on the day dollar for dollar. Thanks go to all those who helped with this successful major event.

2006 will continue to be a busy year. Victoria are already holding meetings to plan a Child Friendly Community day in NCPW in 2006 at the Gasworks Park, and the nominations continue to come in. Pat Jewell and Maree Waterworth will be heading off to New Zealand in February to present papers at the 10th International Child Abuse and Neglect Conference.

News from Western Australia

In keeping with the theme “child friendly communities” the WA National Child Protection Week VIP Breakfast Launch attracted a large range of community members including personnel from the ministerial cabinet, government departments, not-for profit organisations, local schools, parents, teachers and children. A poster competition for primary school aged children was undertaken and included the themes:

1. My favourite place in my neighbourhood....” for children in Kindergarten to Year 3; and
2. “My favourite thing to do at school...” for children in Years 4 to 7.

Winners and runners up in this competition were provided with awards and prizes at the Breakfast Launch. Individuals and organisations who made a significant contribution to promoting and creating “child friendly communities” were also recognised at the breakfast with “Champion” awards;

NAPCAN WA looks forward to 2006 and the exciting opportunities it contains.

News from New South Wales

NAPCAN NSW recently held the launch of their publication “Visions of a Child Friendly Community”. Produced in collaboration with the University of Western Sydney and with the support of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the aim of the publication was to explore and gather a range of visions, in words and pictures, with respect to what a child friendly community might look like. Contributors include children, university students, academics, professionals and government officials. The result is an inspiring, challenging and touching document. Speakers at the launch included Gillian Calvert, NSW Commissioner for Children and Young People, Dr Bronwyn Gould, Chair Australian Council for Children and Parenting, Hugh Hartley, Group Executive Retail Banking, Commonwealth Bank, Emma Stein, Board Member NSW Growth Centres Commission and President NAPCAN NSW and Dr Sue Roffey, Senior Lecturer, University of Western Sydney. Julie McCrossin was the MC for the event. There were touching performances from children performing circus routines and in a choir. “There is a great deal of harmony between the views of children and those who support them in their academic and professional lives. There are strong consistent messages about listening, respect, trust, sharing, helping, just being there, no hitting or bullying, having friends, and many more,” says Emma Stein, NAPCAN NSW President. “The research, the children and the experts differ in detail but there is much agreement.”

News from South Australia

On the 26th October 2005, NAPCAN SA AGM was held at the Baptist Church, Flinders Street, ADELAIDE. Two guest speakers discussed Child Safe Environments; Sue Vardon who is a Chief Executive at Department for Families and Communities and Beth Dunning who is Executive Director of Child, Youth, Families and Services.

NAPCAN SA started the child protection week with a Fathers Day Picnic at Rymill Park, ADELAIDE on the 4th September, this was a very successful day with the help of volunteers, staff, local councils and businesses. We thank everyone involved for their help. The official launch was held at Parliament House with guest speaker Jay Weatherill MP. The launch also consisted of the Woodcroft Primary School Choir which included songs relevant to child protection.

NAPCAN SA have been very fortunate over 2005 with many donations and grants. This has enabled NAPCAN SA to progress with projects. Grants have been received from: FaCS Volunteer small equipment grants, The Danks Trust, Community Benefits SA, Perpetual, Port Adelaide Enfield Council, Adelaide Hills Council, Tea Tree Gully Council, Bank SA and we are also running a Work For the Dole project via Uniting Care Wesley.

Many of these grants were due to Unforeseen Developments support and hard work. They have raised more than $90,000 in 2005. NAPCAN SA greatly values their support and commitment to preventing child abuse before it starts. At this stage Unforeseen Developments have supported NAPCAN SA to triple their income enabling them to employ more staff and run innovative programs.