Every child in every community needs a fair go

During National Child Protection Week at Ambrose Treacy College, we engaged in reflective activities aimed at fostering a culture of care and responsibility. Through classroom lessons, cohort assemblies, staff activities and student-led discussions, we highlighted the importance of safety and well-being for all children. This commitment to safeguarding emphasises our collective responsibility to nurture a respectful and protective environment that upholds the dignity and rights of every student.

We joined school communities throughout the nation in focusing on the priority of child safeguarding and protection this week on assembly and in Formation lessons. Along with the provision of a faith inspired holistic education, there is nothing more important in our school than the safety and well-being of our students. Ambrose Treacy College is not immune from the threat of potential harm for our young people, and we take the responsibility of safeguarding most seriously.

This year National Child Protection Week continued to champion the message ‘Every child in every community needs a fair go’.  This message captures the essence of National Child Protection Week which aims to promote a safe and supported life for every child, now and into the future.    

All adults can play a part by ‘tuning in’ to children in everyday situations about small worries; then they are much more likely to feel comfortable telling us if something big is wrong.  

Talking with children about safety:

• Support children to identify trusted adults (both within the family and outside) they can talk to, if they are worried, upset, or don’t feel safe. Make sure these adults know they are on your child’s list.
• Remind children that they can talk to you or a trusted adult about anything, no matter how big or small their worry might be.
• Talk to children about how they know when they feel safe or unsafe. Help them to listen to their early warning signs (how their body feels), and to trust their feelings and instincts.
• Use everyday activities as opportunities for conversations (e.g., preparing meals and snacks, going for walks, playing, shopping). If children are used to having lots of communication, it can make it easier to talk when big or tricky issues come up.
• Be open to talking about all kinds of feelings, including anger, joy, frustration, fear, and anxiety. This helps children to develop a ‘feelings vocabulary’.

A reminder that our policies and procedures may be found on our College website

Conor Finn

Dean of Formation