National Child Protection Week kicks off next week from 3 – 9 September, marking one of the most important weeks in CREATE Foundation’s calendar. 

CREATE Foundation’s CEO, Jacqui Reed, says ‘The theme for this year’s Child Protection Week continues to be ‘every child in every community needs a fair go’, which is a great statement, but sadly we know this is not the reality.” 

“CREATE Foundation is Australia’s only national consumer body dedicated to advocating for the rights of children and young people with an out-of-home care experience. Our vision is that all children and young people with a care experience reach their full potential.” 

Child Protection Week is a time for the sector to come together to recognise the resilience of children and young people in out-of-home care across Australia, and to shine a spotlight on the incredible support provided by foster and kinship carers, caseworkers and non- government organisations who work to ensure that children and young people in care across Australia are safe and supported. 

“We continue to call on all governments to reflect seriously on how their child protection and out- of-home care systems continue to fail to provide adequate support and care to change the trajectories of children’s lives,” added Reed. 

As always, CREATE will be hosting a series of events nationally throughout Child Protection Week to highlight the experiences and challenges faced by young people in care, while also celebrating their resilience and achievements. 

“Children and young people with a care experience continue to have poorer outcomes across key areas, including education, employment, housing and health, compared to their peers without a care experiences,” said Reed. 

“It is time for governments to listen to the voices of children and young people and act urgently to improve their care systems.”