Silencing Children About ‘Forbidden Topics: Discussing Prevention Education in Australian Early Childhood

Over three decades ago the United Nations developed the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC; United Nations, 1989) which was aimed at ensuring children were positioned as active agents in their lives, capable of having a voice and participating in decision-making on issues that affected them. Australia ratified the UNCRC in 1990, however implementation required changes in relevant laws, policies and practices which is a complex process (Alston & Brennan, 1991). Whilst ratification provided the Australian Federal Government “an historic opportunity” (Cass, 1991, p. 28) time has proven that change remains limited by the “imbalances of power and resources which are deeply embedded in the way we live and are organised” as originally feared by Parker (1991, p. 19). This discussion paper explores barriers limiting the capacity to change and speculates on ways in which progress might still be made to enhance the ways in which Australia as a nation honours the promise made when UNCRC was ratified. This is important for teacher educators to ensure our teachers embed teaching practices that prevent childhood sexual abuse. This will be of interest to those who design teacher education courses and policy makers.