Thomas McIntyre is the Regional Director for Act for Kids in Brisbane. He holds a Bachelor of Social Science and has worked in front line child protection for over 15 years. He has held front line roles ranging from Team Leader, Senior Practitioner, and Manager with the Department of Communities and Child Safety in Brisbane.
Recent study has found that two thirds of children are unequipped to react to unsafe situations. Act for Kids’ Thomas McIntyre tells us the best way to equip our children is by teaching them strategies and protective behaviours and that it is our responsibility to keep our children safe.
Mr McIntyre told SBS Kurdish while the safety of our children is a continuous concern, new research shows that one in three Australians understand the importance of teaching children the necessary skills to identify unsafe situations, personal space and how to seek help from trusted adults.
The research of over 2,000 Australians carried out by child protection organisation Act for Kids reveals that two thirds of parents do not believe their child know what to do when they feel unsafe. A staggering 45% also admit that their child would struggle to identify a safe adult to confide in.
A recent collaboration between Act for Kids, Griffith University and James Cook University found those that completed protective behaviour programs demonstrated increased knowledge of interpersonal safety and an increase of confidence in disclosing harm. The study also recommended further integration of parents in teaching these skills to improve children’s personal safety skills.
For more information visit: ACT for Kids, www.actforkids.com.au/
