What we do

The Valuing Children Initiative is driven by a passion for children’s wellbeing.  We work to ensure that all children in Australia experience the caring, safe, and supported childhood they deserve.

The fact that we continue to see poor outcomes for children in so many different areas is not because it’s impossible to do better or because we don’t know how to do better.   In the simplest of terms, the reason we continue to see such outcomes is because children are just not a high enough priority.

The Valuing Children Initiative is working hard to change this

We recognise the significant contribution that children and young people make to our society in the here and now.  Children bind families and communities together.  They bring laughter and love into our lives.  They remind us of the importance of play, to be curious, to notice life’s small details, to be creative, spontaneous, and honest, to value relationships and to appreciate the natural world.  Children are innovative and optimistic.  Their endless energy and enthusiasm gives us hope for the future.

The Valuing Children Initiative seeks to shift individual and collective attitudes so that it is ordinary and commonplace for adults to recognise and acknowledge the value of children.  If more adults value the contribution of children then more adults will advocate for children so it’s an important precursor to improved outcomes for kids.

Our work is centred around four pillars:

Listening – We recognise the importance of listening to children

Voice – We encourage children’s perspectives and participation

Safety – We believe all children should be safe and consider this to be a community responsibility

Growth – We believe all children should be given the opportunities and supports they need to reach their full potential.

The Valuing Children Initiative is interested in all issues that impact children and young people.  For example, children’s rights, including children and young people in decision making, online safety, abuse and neglect, child poverty, mental health, education, childhood obesity, child friendly urban planning, family violence, promoting the importance of play and environmental issues are areas of interest.  This is not an exhaustive list. In fact, most societal issues do impact children, but as society we are not always great thinking at recognising the impact or thinking about the world from a child’s perspective.

Our vision is broad, and our approach is unique.  We work strategically and creatively to achieve change.  Think advocacy, research, education, policy recommendations, partnerships, events, opinion pieces, resources, community art projects and activities to raise public awareness.