Appeal Letters
We are writing to the Ministers responsible for daycare centres and police investigation standards.
Because of the inherent risks of predators, prevalence of sexual abuse in children and the inherent vulnerability of toddlers our children should be protected at daycare by mandatory parent and child sexual abuse education, tighter screening measures and cameras throughout the centre. When allegations of abuse are made, investigations should be thorough, they should have a voice in the justice system and should have child sexual abuse developmental experts provide opinion when the outcome is no offence detected.
Continued failure to provide these measures is effectively government funded and PROTECTED sexual abuse.
To:
The Minister for Early Childhood Education; Child Protection; Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence; Community Services
Australian daycare centre sexual abuse incidents are alarming. The Ashley Griffith case of over 1600 cases (when two confirmed unsubstantiated police reports were made) and the 4 unresolved allegations of abuse at a daycare centre in Perth highlight how pertinent it is to protect these children.
Pre-verbal children are vulnerable, voiceless and unable to provide evidence that leads to convictions and thus deserve greater protection.
We need robust protocols established for handling suspected cases of sexual abuse, similar to those implemented by schools and other institutions scrutinised by the Royal Commission on Institutional Abuse, Disability, and Aged Care.
We urge lawmakers and relevant authorities to take immediate action towards implementing stringent reforms in all daycare centres across the country.
What the community is demanding:
- A nationwide system to track sexual abuse allegations in daycares
- Daycare facilities adhere to the same standards of transparency and accountability as schools.
- Daycare centres adopt more stringent recruitment and screening procedures
- Daycare centres must be mandated to disclose all staff, including agency workers, to parents.
- Enhanced security measures, including increased camera surveillance throughout the centre at least in play areas
- Expedition of mandatory sexual abuse reporting requirements for daycare workers in Western Australia
- National guidelines need to be developed for mandatory training for parents, children and staff addressing signs and management of suspected child abuse
Sincerely,
[Your name]
To:
The Minister of Police
Australian daycare centre sexual abuse incidents are alarming. The Ashley Griffith case of over 1600 cases (when two confirmed unsubstantiated police reports were made) and the 4 unresolved allegations of abuse at a daycare centre in Perth highlight how pertinent it is to protect these children.
Pre-verbal children are vulnerable, voiceless and seem unable to provide evidence that leads to charges and convictions and thus deserve a voice in the legal system.
The law needs to accommodate their voice.
- Clarification around ‘unsubstantiated’ and where sexual harm does not meet the criteria to meet standards in the criminal justice system, a professional opinion is sought on the likelihood of whether or not a child has been harmed*
- Professional opinion should be sought from forensic psychologists, psychologists with experience and training in child development and sexual abuse, paediatricians and speech pathologists should be involved in the investigation of all daycare child cases. Expert developmental knowledge is critical.
- Senior police are retained
- Police should have more powers to investigate child sexual abuse cases in daycares, while also considering individual rights and privacy concerns.
*recommendation from Bravehearts Abbey project Discussion Paper Published in June 2016, Abbey’s Project Discussion Pape
Sincerely,
[Your name]