The Albanese Labor Government is celebrating the value and rights of children during this year’s National Children’s Week from 21 to 29 October.
The theme of Children’s Week 2023 is A Child’s Right to Play and is complemented by hundreds of events around the nation.
Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth said this national event is an important reminder that children and young people deserve to grow up in safe and supportive homes, free from abuse and neglect.
And they also deserve the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to their age and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.
“We want to improve the outcomes for all children and young people, ensuring every child can grow and develop to their full potential in a safe and nurturing environment,” Minister Rishworth said.
Minister Rishworth will today visit the Paralowie R-12 School which has received funding for a new toy library to help support children’s play.
This followed an earlier visit to Wonder and Wisdom Intergenerational Playgroup in Adelaide, a program that enriches childhood development through social interactions with seniors.
The initiative is one of over 3000 playgroups across Australia, with the Government set to deliver more than $38 million to Playgroup Australia and Playgroup WA between 2021 and 2026.
Earlier this year, the Government fulfilled its $8.2 million election commitment, Helping Families Learn and Grow with Playgroup, to expand current locations across Australia and establish intergenerational playgroups, provide subsidised membership fees to boost playgroups, and deliver toy libraries.
Playgroups and toy libraries are a key entry point to early childhood education for vulnerable families. They improve the early development and wellbeing of children, improve parent-child relationships and increase feelings of belonging and connection in families with their communities.
“Toy libraries build and strengthen parent-child relationships, providing opportunities for new experiences and discoveries to support a child’s development,” Minister Rishworth said.
“We have expanded playgroup locations, established intergenerational playgroups, provided subsidised membership fees to boost playgroups and created toy libraries across Australia – as we promised we would. All to help support and promote children’s play.
“Like all toy libraries, the latest one at Paralowie will be a great asset for the community.”
Along with delivering for playgroups and toy libraries the Government is delivering landmark policy frameworks to elevate the rights and experiences of children, including Safe and Supported: the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2021-2031, and the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022-2032.
The Government is also developing the Early Years Strategy, a comprehensive plan that strives to ensure every Australian child has the best start to life.
“Decades of research shows us that getting it right in the first five years of a child’s life is critical for their development and helps to set the foundations for success in the future,” Minister Rishworth said.
“Through these important policies and strategies, we want to ensure every child is safe and supported, and can thrive.
“National Children’s Week is a wonderful opportunity for all levels of governments, the education sector, communities, and families to celebrate the potential of our next generation.”
More information on the Government’s work to improve outcomes for children is available on the Department of Social Services website:
- Safe and Supported: the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2021-2031
- The National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032
- Early Years Strategy
- Families and Children Activity