By Amy Bain, Clinical Manager and Senior Speech Pathologist at Superyou Therapy
In celebration of Children’s Week, I had the privilege of attending the Child Safe Organisations Seminar, hosted by the Commissioner for Children and Young People WA. It was an inspiring day filled with important conversations about how we can make sure every child feels safe, valued, and heard – not just in policy, but in practice.
At Superyou Therapy, we are proudly working to be a child safe organisation. That means we’re committed to creating spaces where children are listened to, respected, and supported to have a say in decisions that affect them – whether that’s during a therapy session, in their community, or at home.
Why I Chose to Attend
As both a clinician and a manager, I know that keeping children safe isn’t just about preventing harm, it is about empowering them. When children are given genuine opportunities to express their ideas, preferences, and feelings, they become active partners in their own development.
I attended this seminar to learn more about how we, as professionals and as an organisation, can continue strengthening our approach to child safety and participation.
What I Learned
1. Children belong at the centre of everything we do
Commissioner Jacqueline McGowan Jones reminded us that children’s voices must guide our decisions, big and small. Even very young children, including those with disabilities or limited verbal communication, can share their ideas in meaningful ways when we take the time to listen.
2. Listening takes many forms
Professor Laura Lundy’s Model of Participation really stood out to me. She shared four key ideas – space, voice, audience, and influence – that help us make sure every child can contribute in a way that suits them.
At Superyou, we already use these ideas every day. Whether a child communicates with words, gestures, drawing, photos, or devices, we listen carefully and make sure their input shapes their therapy.
3. Participation and protection go hand in hand
We can’t keep children safe if we don’t hear their voices. True safety comes from trust – from children knowing they can speak up and that adults will take their concerns seriously.
4. Families are key partners
Families play a vital role in helping children feel confident and secure. Part of our job as therapists is to support families to build their own understanding of child safe principles, so these values are reinforced beyond the therapy room.
What This Means for Superyou
The seminar was a great reminder that our commitment to child safety is ongoing — a continuous journey of reflection, learning, and improvement. At Superyou Therapy, this means we will continue to:
• Actively include children in planning and reviewing their therapy goals. Every therapy plan is built with the child, not just for them, ensuring that their preferences, strengths, and dreams are central to the process.
• Use creative and accessible tools — like stories, play, photos, drawings, and Talking Mats — so that all children, regardless of their communication style or ability, can share their thoughts and make meaningful choices.
• Respond meaningfully when children give feedback, letting them know that their ideas shape the way we deliver therapy and make decisions. This helps build trust and reinforces their sense of agency.
• Model child safe behaviour across every part of our organisation. From our leadership to our clinicians, every team member plays a role in upholding a culture of respect, inclusion, and safety.
• Embed child safety training and learning into our everyday practice. All staff complete comprehensive safeguarding and child safety modules as part of their induction, with regular refreshers and ongoing professional development to strengthen our collective understanding and responsiveness.
• Maintain a child-focused and child-centred approach in everything we do. We encourage curiosity, empathy, and reflection in our team so that every interaction – no matter how small – prioritises the child’s voice, wellbeing, and dignity.
• Engage families as partners in child safety. We share knowledge and collaborate closely with parents and carers to ensure that child safe values are supported beyond the therapy room.
• Continue to learn and reflect as we grow, seeking out new research, frameworks, and perspectives that help us keep improving our approach to child participation and safety.
Moving Forward
I left the seminar feeling inspired and proud of the work we already do, and motivated to keep finding new ways to elevate children’s voices. Being a child safe organisation isn’t a one-time achievement; it is a commitment that we uphold each and every day, always seeking to grow, learn and re-imagine our practices.
At the heart of it all: Children don’t just deserve to be safe, they deserve to be heard.