Curriculum and Training Materials

One of the responsibilities of the Clearinghouse is to collect curriculum and training materials. We recognise that there may be an overlap between the two, and have aimed to focus on curriculum materials for use in schools and training materials for professional development. This list represents the collection to date for items produced in the last five years. The list will be regularly updated, and we invite you to advise us if you are aware of any materials that you think should be included.

Alford, W.
Schools, families and communities working together in effective implementation of child protection curriculum.
In: 7th Australasian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect, Perth, WA, October 1999: conference proceedings. Canning Bridge, WA: Promaco Conventions, 1999, volume 2, p687-693

In NSW all government schools from 1999 are required to teach child protection education up to year 10. This paper outlines the approach being adopted and some early reactions to the innovation, addressing issues of: the context for child protection education; the curriculum support materials; parent perceptions; teaching correct terms for sexual body parts; forms of abuse; and family privacy.

Available from: Promaco Conventions, PO Box 890, Canning Bridge, Western Australia 6153. Email promaco@promaco.com.au

Briggs, F; McVeity, M.
Teaching children to protect themselves: a resource for teachers and adults who care for young children.
Crows Nest, NSW: Allen and Unwin, 2000, 154p, tables, illus

A handbook for teachers and counsellors working with primary aged children, this book provides ideas for teachers and parents as well as counsellors and therapists working both with children at risk of abuse and children who have been abused. The authors have specifically focused on the protection of children from sexual abuse. Detailed guidance is provided on: why all children need a safety program; the importance of care givers and parents; responding to actual or suspected sexual abuse; integrating safety education into the wider curriculum; strategies for teaching safety skills; special challenges for children with disabilities; the Internet and online safety; and strategies for children to protect themselves. Themes and activities to work through with children are described, including: it's my body; some parts of our bodies are private; talking about touching; staying safe with strangers; secrets; and problem solving exercises.

Available from: Allen and Unwin, 9 Atchison Street, St Leonards NSW 2065. Email frontdesk@allen-unwin.com.au. Internet http://www.allen-unwin.com.au

Crossman, S; McVeity, M.
Health and physical education: secrets.
Adelaide, SA: Department for Education and Children's Services, Curriculum Division, 1997, 12p, tables, illus. (Adopt, Adapt, Share Units of Work, no.23)

This unit of work focuses on protecting children from child sexual abuse within the context of the Protective Behaviours program. The topic outlined here, Secrets, is taught in conjunction with problem solving sessions concerning keeping safe from sexual abuse, including the issue of sexual touching.

Available from: Curriculum Division, Department for Education and Children's Services, Adelaide SA 5000

Curriculum Corporation (Australia).
Families in form.
Carlton, Vic: Curriculum Corporation, 1997, 172p, ill. (Health and home economics)

How do families meet our needs? How can families overcome problems? Intended for direct student use, this book explores the family issues which affect every person in one way or another, for better or worse. The first half of the book is addressed to lower secondary students and has the following sections: How families meet our needs; Family snapshots; and Family issues 1, which covers communicating with each other, and issues to do with television. Addressing middle secondary students, the second half of the book covers How families change, and Family issues 2, which includes gender issues, power and violence, child abuse and poverty. The book presents case studies and student activities, and there is an accompanying electronic Family figures database with Australian statistics from 1788 to the present.

Available from: Curriculum Corporation, 141 Rathdowne Street, Carlton Vic 3053. Email sales@curriculum.edu.au. Internet http://www.curriculum.edu.au

Hadfield, M; Searles, S.
Implementing the child protection curriculum in Northern Sydney schools.
In: Proceedings: NSW Child Protection Council state conference: preventing child abuse and neglect: the way ahead, March 1996, Goulburn NSW. Sydney, NSW: NSW Child Protection Council, 1996, p179-184

This paper describes the child protection curriculum used in New South Wales schools. The curriculum materials consist of curriculum for children from kindergarten through to year twelve, preschool children and students with an intellectual disability. The authors focus on the implementation of the child protection curriculum in the Metropolitan North Region of Sydney. The in-service training of teaching staff on child protection curriculum covers information and discussion on child protection and child abuse issues as well as procedures for the notification of child abuse. Also reported on in this paper are the findings of a study of the rate of implementation of the curriculum into school programs in the Metropolitan North Region. In addition, the study identified the factors crucial to successful implementation.

Available from: NSW Child Protection Council, Level 14, 447 Kent Street, Sydney NSW 2000. Tel (02) 9286 7276. Fax (02) 9286 7267. Email nswcpc@world.net. Internet http://www.acwa.asn.au/CPC/

Hawkins, R M F; Briggs, F.
Partnerships between parents and teachers in child protection.
Children Australia v.24 no.1 1999: 8-13

Prevention approaches are an important response to the problem of child abuse. Although there have been repeated calls for closer parent-teacher cooperation in prevention programs, such alliances have been far from satisfactory to date. Reasons for poor parent-teacher partnerships are based on social reluctance to intervene in the family unit and the mutual reluctance of teachers and parents to engage in a meaningful alliance. Part of the reticence of teachers to involve parents lies in their lack of confidence relating to the delivery of the child protection curriculum. These problems are explored and some suggestions for change are offered. (Journal abstract)

Available from: Oz Child: Children Australia, PO Box 7020, Dandenong Vic 3175. Email ChildrenAustralia@latrobe.edu.au

Hemphill, S.
Knowing why: Office of Childcare research projects.
Rattler no.52 Summer 1999: 5-7

This article provides a brief overview of a number of Office of Childcare research projects which were profiled at an October 1999 Seminar, 'Knowing why: informing good practice in early childhood services'. Information presented includes the purpose of each project, researchers involved, and main or preliminary findings. Projects are: Mapping literacy practices in early childhood services; Multicare arrangement patchworks: the multiple use of formal and informal care in NSW; Children with disabilities in NSW children's services; Licensing standards; Starting school; Early childhood curriculum framework; Current issues in the NSW Aboriginal early childhood sector; The role of children's services in child protection; and, Piloting accreditation for state preschools and occasional care centres.

Available from: Community Child Care Co-operative, Locked Bag 19, Newtown NSW 2042. Email ccccnsw@localnet.com.au

Kerslake, C.
Emphasising life-long learning.
Child Abuse Prevention Newsletter v.8 no.1 Autumn 2000: 6-8, and Online
http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/pubs/newsletters/nl2000/nlaut2000.html

The Kidz Business Enterprise Project has provided students of Hampstead Primary School in South Australia with a means of showcasing in a school context the creativity and maturity that they readily demonstrate out of school. The Project requires children to work throughout the year in a work team of their choice, covering a wide range of community activities. The school has worked hard to overcome a range of disadvantaging factors and is responsive to changing community needs. This article provides an overview of Kidz Business, which is part of the mainstream curriculum and a high priority of the school.

Available from: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 300 Queen Street, Melbourne Vic 3000. Email publications@aifs.gov.au. Internet http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/nch_menu.html

Llewellyn, G; McConnell, D.
Working with parents with intellectual disability: current research and practice.
In: 1998 ACWA Conference 'Improving services for children, youth and families': conference proceedings. Sydney, NSW: Association of Childrens Welfare Agencies, 1998, p79-89, tables

Some of the concerns raised by service providers in relation to intellectually disabled parents are addressed in this paper through a discussion of two current projects: the Law Foundation of NSW study which investigates prevalence and outcomes for parents with a disability in the NSW Children's Court; and the NSW Parent-Child Health and Wellbeing Project, (funded jointly by the NSW Ageing and Disability Department and the Commonwealth Department of Health and Family Services) which investigated the effectiveness of a specifically designed home learning program for parents with cognitive limitations and their children in the birth to three years age range. Some of the factors that influence child protection processes with parents with intellectual disability are addressed and the challenges for family support and child protection workers are considered.

Available from: Association of Childrens Welfare Agencies, 6/323 Castlereagh Street, Sydney NSW 2000. Internet http://www.acwa.asn.au/

McCallum, Faye.
Listening to pre-service teachers: what they need to be more effective in child protection work.
In: Ninth Australasian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect, November 2003: Many Voices, Many Choices - ACCAN papers and presentations. Sydney, NSW: Department of Community Services, 15p, Online only (Power point presentation in PDF format 135K)
http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/42706/20040617/www.community.nsw.gov.au/documents/accan/presentations/2S4F-2.pdf

This presentation summarises information about teachers' role in child protection and barriers to effectiveness of this role, evaluates pre-service teacher training in relation to child protection and reporting, and promotes an effective child protection curriculum.

Available from: NSW Department of Community Services, Locked Bag 28, Ashfield NSW 1800. Internet http://www.community.nsw.gov.au/

Palmer, G.
The revised years 7 and 8 Keeping Ourselves Safe Programme.
In: Taylor, N. J. and Smith, A. B. eds. Enhancing children's potential: minimising risk and maximising resiliency: proceedings of the Children's Issues Centre Second Child and Family Policy Conference, 1997. Dunedin, NZ: Children's Issues Centre, 1998, p243-246

In 1988 Keeping Ourselves Safe was launched as a joint project between police and education and was designed for children at primary and intermediate schools. The three teaching units are reviewed: Knowing What to Do (age five to seven); Getting Help (age eight to ten); and Standing Up For Myself (age 11 -12). The results of an evaluation and revision of Standing Up For Myself are examined, highlighting the introduction of modules on abuse, the reporting process and the consequences of abuse. The videos and teaching guides are assessed.

Available from: Children's Issues Centre, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand. Email cic@otago.ac.nz

Tickell, G; Dalton, D.
Healthy Families Project.
Carlton, Vic: Healthy Families Program, 1998, 12p

The Healthy Families Project (HFP) is a project of the Victorian Board of Studies in conjunction with Monash University and Relationships Australia. HFP was developed in response to concerns that the style and quality of parenting experienced by parents during their chidhood is a significant influence on the manner in which they parent their own children. Of greatest concern is the evidence that child maltreatment has been clearly stated to have important generational aspects. HFP is an educational program for primary school students. The program intends to teach children that individuals have the power to change their lives and develop more constructive forms of parenting. This paper describes the current stage of development of HFP, the curriculum materials included, professional development issues, and the evaulation of HFP.

Watts, V; Watts, J.
Teaching children to live, risk and love it: integrating Protective Behaviours into the school curriculum.
International Journal of Protective Behaviours v.1 no.1 Oct 1998: 15-26, tables

Showing how Protective Behaviours may be integrated into the school curriculum in the same way as Keeping Ourselves Safe and Child Protection Education programs have been integrated into the curricula in New Zealand and New South Wales, this article provides an overview of the Protective Behaviours topics and the levels at which they may be introduced in the school curriculum for the purpose of fitting Protective Behaviours into an already full curriculum, coordinating the program so as to reinforce concepts, eliminating gaps and overlap. The tables provide information on the Keeping Ourselves Safe program; the NSW Child Protection Education program; and Protective Behaviours topics incorporated in the existing NSW Personal Development, Health and Physical Education curriculum suitable for all levels at primary school. Criteria to guide teachers in choosing a suitable personal safety program are listed and strategies to use when implementing personal safety into the curriculum are outlined.

Available from: Protective Behaviours Consultancy Group of New South Wales, 770 Elizabeth Street, Waterloo NSW 2017

Whiteside, S.
Personal safety curriculum in junior primary classrooms. Are teachers teaching it?
Children Australia v.26 no.2 2001: 31-36, tables

Previous studies have revealed that the teaching of personal safety strategies to children is spasmodic and selective, avoiding vital information that would help children to identify and report sexual abuse. In this study a questionnaire was used to explore the views of 33 South Australian junior primary teachers regarding the teaching of personal safety to children. Results showed that most of the participating teachers claimed to teach some personal safety skills, using a variety of materials and methods, but it would appear that they concentrated on 'safe topics such as road safety and avoided topics relating to child sexual abuse and violence. It was also found that 50% had not undertaken any training within the last two years even though the overwhelming majority felt that further training was required in order to teach topics effectively. This suggested that motivation for teaching personal safety was low. These and other findings are discussed and recommendations for greater emphasis on training of teachers and further research into this area are made. (Journal abstract)

Available from: Oz Child: Children Australia, PO Box 7020, Dandenong Vic 3175 Tel 03 9791 5423. Fax 03 9791 4963