Principle 2: Empowering Children & Vulnerable People
In this chapter you will learn
Principles of empowerment and inclusion
Importance of Sexual Abuse Prevention Programs
How you can empower children and vulnerable people
Your organization is responsible for:
Supporting everyone to understand what child safety and wellbeing is
Informing children and other vulnerable people about their rights and responsibilities in an age appropriate way
Ensuring the organisational culture is safe for them and includes them in building this culture
You, as a child facing team member are responsible for;
Respecting the identity and culture of all
Developing skills in working with them
Building on their strengths and capacities
Children and vulnerable people are safer when valued and celebrated for who they are and their contributions.
It's important to recognise that because of a person's age, or other vulnerability, they can be disempowered and are at greater risk of experiencing harm.
Let's now talk about what you and your organisation can do to empower children and vulnerable people.
Empowerment
Empowerment recognises the strengths of children and vulnerable people and builds on those strengths. Empowering people allows them to become stronger and more confident.
It gives them a greater say in and control of their lives and helps them understand their rights, so they can act on them if needed.
By empowering children and vulnerable people, we can help them to:
become more resilient
identify risks and know what to do if they are unsafe
develop the confidence to seek support if they need it.
Participation
Participation gives children and vulnerable people opportunities to have their say and to inform the decision-making in your organisation.
This means we need to listen, hear, and respond by making appropriate changes based on what people share. Participation contributes to empowerment when it builds people’s confidence in themselves and the organisations they are connected with. It strengthens relationships and helps people feel valued.
To empower and include children and vulnerable people, we need to make sure they always participate in the decisions that affect their lives.
Children and vulnerable people should be:
1. free to choose to participate
2. involved in planning decisions
3. heard and included in conversations and activities
4. informed whether a private conversation is confidential or if someone else will need to be told e.g. in a case of abuse
5. informed about their rights
6. encouraged and supported to build strong peer relationships
Sexual Abuse Prevention Programs
Even with the best training and protocols in place, sexual abuse will continue in our community and our organisations.
Sexual Abuse Prevention programs can help children to recognise when abuse is happening and to gain the confidence to talk to someone who can help.
Your organisation is encouraged to consider such a program, where relevant, to build this capacity.
85% - About 85 percent of children who are victims of sexual abuse know their abuser.
1 IN. 6 - One in six girls and one in eleven boys are sexually abused before they turn 18 years old.
3 X - Sexual abuse is almost three times more likely in children with disabilities.
HALF - Almost half of offences are perpetrated by other children, mostly boys.