Registrations for White Balloon Day have opened with a bang thanks to hundreds of schools and childcare centres registering to participate to raise awareness of child sexual assault and funds to support Bravehearts specialised child protection programs.
White Balloon Day, Australia’s only national awareness and fundraising campaign is dedicated to preventing child sexual assault through generating awareness to help better inform parents and educators of the need to do more to protect kids from a crime that affects 1 in 5 children nationally.
On White Balloon Day and during Child Protection Week schools will be conducting a wide variety of educational and creative activities to help students of all ages become better aware of their personal safety.
Bravehearts popular White Balloon Day Chalk Art Project continues to engage children and young people across Australia, with many producing simple yet powerful artworks to express how they feel about their personal safety and using these artworks to tell us that they want to feel safe and they deserve to be protected from harm.
Hetty Johnston AM, Founder and Executive Chair of Bravehearts said, “Participating in White Balloon Day is the single most important step every school and childcare centre can take toward protecting their children from harm.
“It’s heart-warming to see so many schools join us this year to help educate, empower and protect Australian kids and we look forward to seeing some wonderful new chalk-art creations from students again this year,” Ms Johnston said.
“Every Australian child has the right to feel safe and we’re indebted to every childcare centre, school, teacher and principal for taking this significant step toward protecting the children in their care from harm,” she said.
During National Child Protection Week everyone with the responsibility to care for children can help them stay safe by participating in White Balloon Day and conducting any of the child safe activities at whiteballoonday.com.au