CHILDREN’S RIGHTS, SAFETY & WELLBEING

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The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child sets out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of children.

These rights apply to all children under 18 years of age without discrimination.

Progressive Play® recognises and supports the rights of all children as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. While all children's rights are important and interconnected, rights particularly relevant to our work include the right to: 

Be protected from harm.

Have their best interests be a primary consideration.

Express views about matters affecting them and have those views given due weight.

Access and share information.

Be treated without discrimination.

Access education.

Participate in play, recreation and cultural life.

Receive appropriate support where required.

Have their identity, culture and individual differences respected.

Children’s rights are interconnected. Safety, participation, inclusion, communication and respect all contribute to environments in which children and young people can participate meaningfully.

Children and young people have the right to express their views about matters affecting them and for those views to be given appropriate consideration according to their age and maturity.

Progressive Play® encourages practice that creates meaningful opportunities for children and young people to express preferences, make choices, communicate what is important to them and participate in matters affecting their involvement.

Children should not simply be given an opportunity to communicate. Their views should be listened to and genuinely considered.

Children communicate in many different ways.

Spoken language is only one form of communication. Depending on the individual child, communication may also include gesture, body language, behaviour, sign, symbols, visual communication, communication devices, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), creative expression or combinations of communication methods.

Progressive Play® promotes accessible approaches that recognise different ways of communicating and support children and young people to express preferences, make choices, request assistance and participate.

Our Feel Build Play™ visual resources, including AAC Communication Cards, provide facilitators with additional visual supports that may assist communication and participation within relevant activities and sessions.

Children and young people should have meaningful opportunities to participate in experiences and decisions that affect them.

Depending on their age, development and circumstances, this may include opportunities to make choices, express preferences, ask questions, request assistance, take a break, communicate boundaries and contribute to decisions about their participation.

Progressive Play® encourages practitioners to work with children and young people and to recognise them as active participants in their experiences.

Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child recognises the child’s right to rest, leisure and play and to participate in recreational and cultural activities.

Play can provide opportunities for creativity, exploration, communication, connection, learning and participation.

Progressive Play® promotes approaches in which play and learning opportunities are inclusive and responsive to individual children.

Participation does not need to look the same for every child.

Children and young people have different abilities, developmental profiles, communication styles, learning needs, sensory preferences, cultures, identities, languages, backgrounds and life experiences.

Australia’s National Principles for Child Safe Organisations recognise that equity must be upheld, and diverse needs respected in policy and practice.

Progressive Play® promotes inclusive and strengths-based practice that recognises individual differences and seeks to reduce unnecessary barriers to participation.

This includes consideration of children and young people with disability or developmental differences, neurodivergent children and young people, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and children with differing communication, learning or support needs.

Where our programs incorporate neuro-affirming practice, we encourage practitioners to respect neurological differences, individual strengths, communication preferences, sensory needs and autonomy rather than seeking to make neurodivergent children appear or behave more neurotypically.

Equity does not necessarily mean providing every child with exactly the same support. It requires consideration of individual circumstances and what may be required to enable safe and meaningful participation.

Children have rights relating to their identity, culture, language and community.

Progressive Play® recognises the importance of culturally safe, respectful and inclusive practice, including the particular importance of cultural safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.

We encourage practitioners to consider the cultural context, identity and experiences of the children, families and communities with whom they work and to create environments in which cultural identity is respected.

Progressive Play® supports the principles of child-safe practice established through Australia’s National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.

The National Principles provide a nationally consistent approach to creating organisational cultures and practices that promote the safety and wellbeing of children in Australia.

The 10 National Principles address:

Child safety and wellbeing within organisational leadership, governance and culture.

Children being informed about their rights, participating in decisions affecting them and being taken seriously.

Families and communities being informed and involved.

Equity and respect for diverse needs.

Suitability and support of people working with children.

Child-focused complaints and concerns processes.

Knowledge, skills and education relating to child safety.

Safe physical and online environments.

Regular review and continuous improvement.

Policies and procedures documenting how an organisation is safe for children and young people.

Child-safety legislation, mandatory reporting obligations, screening requirements, professional responsibilities and other regulatory requirements vary between Australian states and territories.

Practitioners undertaking Progressive Play® training remain responsible for understanding and complying with the requirements applicable to their jurisdiction, profession, workplace and scope of practice.

Progressive Play® is based in Queensland, Australia, and recognises Queensland’s framework for protecting the rights, interests, safety and wellbeing of children.

The Child Safe Organisations Act 2024 (Qld) establishes Child Safe Standards and a Reportable Conduct Scheme in Queensland. Its stated purpose includes promoting and protecting the rights, interests and wellbeing of children in Queensland through these systems.

Progressive Play® also recognises the child-rights advocacy and education undertaken by Children’s Rights Queensland.

Children’s Rights Queensland describes its approach to child safety as being guided by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and promotes environments in which children are protected, respected, included and heard.

Its Charter of Commitment for Children and Young People expresses six commitments to children and young people:

Respect • Inform • Give you a voice • Help • Trust • Safety

These themes reflect important principles of rights-based and child-safe practice that Progressive Play® also seeks to promote through our education, training and resources.

This acknowledgement does not imply endorsement, accreditation or affiliation between Progressive Play® and Children’s Rights Queensland.

At Progressive Play®, children’s rights and child safety are intended to be reflected in everyday practice.

Across our training and resources, we encourage practitioners to:

Listen
Take children’s views, communication, experiences, preferences and concerns seriously.

Include
Create meaningful and accessible opportunities for children and young people to participate.

Communicate
Recognise that communication takes many forms and provide appropriate communication supports where required.

Offer meaningful choice
Provide opportunities for children to express preferences, make choices, ask for assistance, take breaks and communicate boundaries.

Respect individuality
Recognise each child’s strengths, abilities, identity, culture, communication preferences and support needs.

Promote equity
Consider what individual children may need to participate safely and meaningfully rather than assuming the same approach will work for everyone.

Support safety and wellbeing
Consider physical, psychological and cultural safety within activities and interactions involving children and young people.

Respect dignity and autonomy
Interact with children in ways that recognise their dignity, developing autonomy and individual rights.

Work within scope
Maintain appropriate professional boundaries and work within applicable professional, organisational and legal requirements.

Know your responsibilities
Understand and follow the child-safety, safeguarding and reporting requirements that apply within the practitioner’s jurisdiction and workplace.

Our commitment to children’s rights extends beyond professional education and training.

Progressive Play® provides free programs and opportunities for children and young people, supporting access to play, participation, connection and inclusive experiences without cost being a barrier to participation.

Through these initiatives, we seek to put rights-based principles into practice by creating opportunities for children and young people to participate, communicate, make choices and engage in ways that recognise their individual strengths, preferences and support needs.

Progressive Play® is committed to continuing to review our education, training and resources in response to contemporary child-safety guidance, children’s rights frameworks and evidence-informed practice.

Our aim is to support professionals to create environments in which children and young people can play, communicate, participate, learn and be heard while being treated with dignity and respect.

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

National Principles for Child Safe Organisations
Australian Government – National Office for Child Safety

Queensland Child Safe Organisations
Queensland Family and Child Commission

Children’s Rights Queensland
Children’s rights advocacy, education and resources in Queensland

 Progressive Play® is committed to children’s rights, safety and wellbeing. Our approach is guided by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and Australia’s National Principles for Child Safe Organisations, alongside applicable child-safety requirements across Australian states and territories.