The Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE), led by the AFP, is launching new educational resources to help culturally and linguistically diverse families discuss online child safety.
These resources, developed in collaboration with the eSafety Commissioner, include advice sheets for parents and carers, and conversation cards for families. They have been translated into simplified Chinese, Arabic, and Punjabi.
These resources will be available online and distributed by AFP community liaison teams, human exploitation community officers, and through the ThinkUKnow online child safety programs presented in schools across Australia. The goal is to educate and engage diverse communities about online child sexual exploitation and abuse, including warning signs and how to seek assistance or report to the police.
AFP Commander Helen Schneider emphasised the importance of these resources in reaching some of Australia’s largest non-English speaking communities.
“Having open and honest conversations can help families feel empowered to tackle unsafe situations online. The advice sheets and conversation cards have been carefully designed to help parents and carers understand online child sexual exploitation, know how to handle uncomfortable or unsafe situations, make a report to the police, and get support for their child.”
Commander Schneider highlighted that educating families about online grooming, sextortion, and child exploitation materials gives them the power to protect their children and assist the police.
““Australia is a proud multicultural country and we want to educate as many Australian families as possible to protect children from the threat of online child sex offenders. These resources help us get that vital message into the community.”
Parents are advised to remain calm and supportive if their child reports abuse, reassure them, collect evidence, and report to the ACCCE for support.
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant noted that online games, social media, and messaging apps can be gateways for predators. She stressed the importance of parents having ongoing conversations about online safety, suggesting that smaller, everyday discussions can be more effective.
The ACCCE is committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse, driving a national collaborative approach to combatting these crimes. It brings together specialist expertise to support investigations and develop prevention strategies, creating a safer online environment for Australian children.
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