Safeguarding children during COVID-19

During this time of isolation and lockdown, the world for children and young people has turned upside down.

Parents and carers are focusing on multiple issues such as how to stay corona-safe, supervise home-school, work from home, find work, budget, and stay abreast of information. ACU academics and professionals who work with families, children and young people are also facing extra responsibilities. At the same time, children and young people are grappling with their own worries and feelings.

The Institute of Child Protection Studies (ICPS) has responded with a suite of resources that support the needs of professionals, families, children and young people during these uncertain times.  The resources are available on the Safeguarding children during COVID-19 website which includes:

Guides for shared parenting during COVID-19

Parents and carers who share responsibilities across two households due to separation or divorce have an extra layer of pressure during this lockdown. ACU’s Professor Daryl Higgins, Director of the Institute of Child Protection Studies has offered these practical tips and further resources are available on the website to provide guidance for parents and carers, as well for workers in child protection and family services.

Tip sheets for keeping kids central during COVID-19

Children and young people need to make sense of what they are seeing, hearing and feeling. But sometimes adults can inadvertently forget their point of view as they cope with the challenges of COVID-19 and adult responsibilities.  It’s important to take the time to ensure that children and young people’s wellbeing is nurtured and that their views and wishes are heard and considered.

Using a child-centred approach, you can use the tip sheets on the website to build on the six foundational principles of the Kids Central toolkit and the Keeping Kids Central online modules. The tip sheets aim to help adults who work with children and young people place them at the heart of what they do. The practical activities are relevant to the current issues facing children and young people.

More resources are being developed

More resources will be added to the website each week.  We encourage you to use the tip sheets as supplements to your professional practice in supporting children, young people and their families to maintain a sense of physical safety and mental wellbeing.