This story was published in the Gippsland Times on August 23, 2022.
PUPILS, teachers and parents in Maffra have been taught valuable lessons about personal safety, courtesy of the Daniel Morcombe Foundation.
Child safety ambassadors Bruce and Denise Morcombe visited St Mary’s Primary School on Thursday, August 18 to deliver a presentation on how kids can keep themselves safe, both in the real-world and online.
“It is really important to us that all children are educated about their personal safety,” Denise Morcombe said.
“We especially love giving child safety presentations to small schools and regional communities, and particularly ones who continually support the Foundation.”
The 130-plus students at St Mary’s, plus staff and families, all gathered in the 5/6 Pod to hear the Morcombes speak.
The school learned about the importance of having a safety network, creating a “Family Password”, and listening to “body clues” – feelings of nervousness or discomfort – when confronted with dangerous situations.
Students were also taught how to respond to people who made them feel unsafe, by standing firm and saying: “No! My body belongs to me!”
In speaking to the school, Bruce Morcombe reiterated three key messages: Recognise, React, and Report.
“We educate kids to recognise unsafe situations, how to react in these situations and encourage them to report these to their safety helpers,” he explained.
Photos: Tom Parry
The Daniel Morcombe Foundation was established in May 2005, following the disappearance of Bruce and Denise’s teenage son Daniel.
A Queensland man was convicted of Daniel’s murder in 2014.
In the years since, the Foundation has continued to create and distribute free educational resources, with a greater emphasis on how to remain safe in the digital sphere.
“The internet is the education tool of today and tomorrow,” Mr Morcombe said.
“(Children) need to appreciate it’s a wonderful invention and a wonderful tool, but equally, there are dangers that exist online.”
St Mary’s secured a visit by the Morcombes through their participation in the 2021 Day for Daniel, which saw the school raise significant money for the Foundation.
Principal Julian Blackford said the school was excited to welcome Bruce and Denise.
“Their educational messages about child safety connect well to the child-safe culture of our school community,” Mr Blackford said.
He added that it was an “amazing learning opportunity for our students”.
The Day for Daniel takes place on the last Friday of October each year. Schools wear red, educate students about child safety and donate money, all in support of the Daniel Morcombe Foundation.
The theme for 2022’s event is “Brave Conversations”.
“This year, we’re hoping to have around 6000 schools and early learning centres across the country participating,” Ms Morcombe said.
To learn more about the Daniel Morcombe Foundation, and how to participate in Day for Daniel, visit www.danielmorcombe.com.au
