Friday, July 12, 2013

The Newman Government’s commitment to child safety reached a significant milestone today with the launch of the final phase of the Daniel Morcombe Child Safety Curriculum.

Education, Training and Employment Minister John-Paul Langbroek said the curriculum was now available for all Queensland students from Prep to Year 9 and uptake was gaining momentum across all school sectors.

“The development of the three-phase curriculum has been a partnership between Education Queensland and the Daniel Morcombe Foundation with support from Queensland Child Safety Ambassadors Bruce and Denise Morcombe,” Mr Langbroek said.

“Bruce and Denise have visited more than 240 schools and in the last 12 months alone they’ve delivered their important message to more than 30,000 students at 109 schools.

“No school has been too small or too far away for the dedicated Morcombes.”

Mr and Mrs Morcombe welcomed the launch of the third and final curriculum phase for years 7 to 9, in particular the lessons about internet safety and the use of social media.

“It’s with pride that I see Daniel’s legacy making a significant difference to children’s safety in Queensland,” Mr Morcombe said.

Mrs Morcombe said she hoped to see the curriculum implemented in all Queensland schools and others interstate.

“We are honoured that the Daniel Morcombe Child Safety Curriculum has been created in memory of our son. The lessons are about safety, not only around the home and school, but also online safety and everyday challenges that will teach life skills to all children.

“Children will learn it is okay to say no and to tell an adult from their safety network if they think something is wrong or doesn’t feel right.”

Mr Langbroek thanked the couple for their unswerving support and commitment to campaigning for child safety.

“The curriculum is aligned with existing curriculum frameworks and is based around three core messages of recognise, react and report to help students better manage their own safety,” he said.

The Commissioner for Children and Young People and Child Guardian, Queensland Police Service and the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services as well as experts in child safety education had input in the development of the curriculum.

The Parent Guides for the Prep to Year 2, Year 3 to 6 and Year 7 to 9 phases are available at www.education.qld.gov.au/child-safety-curriculum ( http://www.education.qld.gov.au/child-safety-curriculum ).