How is Harmony Week related to Child Safeguarding?

Harmony Week (21-27 March) celebrates Australia’s exciting and diverse cultural reality. Harmony Week is also an opportunity to reflect on how inclusive we really are when it comes to child safeguarding. The National Catholic Safeguarding Standards ask us to contemplate how the promotion of cultural safety for children from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds occurs in parishes and entities.

• Standard 3: Partnering with families, carers and communities
  Families, carers and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safeguarding and wellbeing.
• Standard 4: Equity is promoted and diversity is respected
  Equity is upheld and diverse needs respected in policy and practice.

Parents and carers are critical partners in promoting the safety of children and young people. By reaching out and engaging with families and children from diverse communities, in turn we are building culturally safe environments that foster trust and inclusion. But how can we do this in our parishes?