Berry Street Web Docs Berry Street Public Policy and Advocacy Agenda | Page 4
Childhood belongs to Children
Berry Street believes every child should have a good childhood - this is their right. Childhood should
be about the joys of discovery and play, developing friendships and time with family, learning and
adventures, dreaming and creating, mucking up, falling over and getting up. It should be a time free
from the burdens of adult life without it being a time when children are overly sheltered or contained.
Children learn by taking risks, making mistakes and trying again.
Parents and families are increasingly anxious about the safety of their children and allowing them the
freedom to explore their neighbourhood, to walk to and from school, to play outside or to spend time
away from the constant supervision of adults. Whilst concerns about child safety can see children
withdraw from public spaces paradoxically parents are equally concerned about increasing ’screen time’,
children not exercising and children being exposed to other risks through the internet. Cyber bullying and
the potential for children to be exposed to risks in the online world are issues of national prominence.
To some extent childhood has become a series of sporting, music and recreational activities as play
has become a commodity rather than something kids and families just do. But a hectic childhood is not
the same as a full childhood. Providing children with endless opportunities to participate whilst juggling
all of life’s other demands are often a recipe for family stress rather than healthy child development.
Our work in child welfare focuses on children at risk and protecting those children. There is a need to
broaden our focus and understand that childhood is also at risk and needs protection. We shouldn’t
allow childhood to be eroded by commercialisation, the sexualisation of young children, particularly
young girls and the inappropriate targeting of children by advertisers as a market to exploit.
Childhood must belong to children.
Key Areas of Advocacy and Action
• Development of stronger regulatory framework to prevent the commercial exploitation of children
through advertising and the sexual exploitation of children in the media or digital world
• Establishment of mandatory ‘child friendly community’ planning guidelines to ensure that urban
and regional development in response to population growth creates the highest level of public
amenity for children
• Provision of high quality early learning and care services and in-home support for vulnerable families
with young children to ensure vulnerable children have the highest level of access to services and
support in the early years
Safety is not enough
As a community we want the best for all children. We want all children and young people to enjoy the
best start in life, enabling them to grow, develop and thrive; to have time to play and explore their world
safely, to benefit from education and opportunities to participate in sport, recreation and the creative
arts; to form lifelong bonds with family and friends that will support and nurture them; to discover and
develop their unique strengths and as young people to find their niche in the world from which they can
shape and contribute to that world.
Children and young people who have experienced abuse and neglect have the same rights and needs
as all other children and young people. But they confront bigger obstacles as they strive to reach
their full potential. Many of these children and young people have unresolved trauma, chronic health
issues and are moved from place to place and in and out of care. Their connections to friends, family
and community have been broken, their education disrupted, their voices drowned out and their
hopes for the future undermined. If left unresolved, the disconnectedness this creates impacts on
the mental health and lifelong opportunities for children and young people.
Things that most children and young people can rightfully take for granted have been missing from
their lives. Ensuring that children and young people who have experienced abuse and neglect are kept
safe from further harm is a must. But it is not enough. Organising a roof over their head but nothing
else is just another form of neglect. Berry Street has worked with and for vulnerable children for over
100 years. We, and many other agencies, have worked to keep rooves over the heads of these kids
but more has to be done. As well as keeping children physically safe we have to ensure their rights to
education, good health, opportunities and stable relationships are realised.