Children's Week

Mrs POWER (Elder) (15:30): I rise today to talk about Children's Week, which is occurring this week, and the wonderful launch event I attended last Friday, hosted by Colonel Light Gardens Primary School. It was an absolute honour to attend the Children's Week launch, representing the Minister for Education.

I would like to take this opportunity in the house to acknowledge and thank the Children's Week organisers and Colonel Light Gardens Primary School on bringing us together to celebrate the launch. I would also like to acknowledge the distinguished guests, the principal, Simone, the governing council, school staff, parents and, most importantly, the children and young people in attendance, including students from Colonel Light Gardens Primary School and children from the Margaret Lohmeyer Kindergarten.

Children's Week is important, as it reminds us all to celebrate the right of children to enjoy childhood, to be nurtured and cared for and to be loved and protected. Children's Week reminds everyone that every child and young person in South Australia and around the world is important and essential to our community. It is absolutely essential that every child is given the best possible chance to fulfil their dreams and aspirations.

The theme of Children's Week this year is that children have the right to give their opinion and for adults to listen and take it seriously. This reminds us that giving children a voice, really listening to what they have to say and taking it on board, is a powerful message to children about their value. For teachers, parents, grandparents, carers, families and those serving the public, including those who serve in this parliament, listening to the voice of children empowers them to keep themselves and others safe, express their views, ask questions and think deeply, as well as develop the confidence to take an active role in their community with long-term benefits for society as a whole.

It was so special to be back at Colonel Light Gardens Primary School for the launch of Children's Week. Colonel Light Gardens Primary School sits in the centre of the seat of Elder and is a well-loved and well-respected local school. I am always impressed by the students, the staff and leadership within the school and feel fortunate enough to represent them here in parliament. The students who MC'd the Children's Week launch and the students who provided us with entertainment on the day did an amazing job.

Jas, Chloe and Braydon began the launch with a beautiful acknowledgement of country. Nathan and Lily spoke about the importance of listening to children and giving them a say, allowing their voices to be heard, giving a great example of the roles of SRCs in the school community. They spoke to us about how kids can have great ideas, too, and how we as adults can learn from them and harness their enthusiasm to help improve our community. They also shared an inspirational poem about Children's Week.

The boys choir did a remarkable job performing Eye of the Tiger with some very spirited choreography. The young students from Margaret Lohmeyer Kindergarten who performed Head andShoulders in Kaurna, along with We are One in sign language, impressed everybody. The MCs for the event—Jacob, Nathan, Paige, Gracie, Arianna, Ella and Lil—were articulate and confident. Congratulations to all the students at the school and the kindergarten who were involved in the launch and those who sat with discipline and attention throughout the event. A very special acknowledgement goes to the magnificent principal, Mr Rick Bennallack, the governing council, Simone and other staff at the school.

All of us, as adults, policymakers, teachers, community leaders, parents or carers, need to make the conscious effort to ensure that we give children the right to have their opinion, to listen to it and to take it seriously. There is a growing body of evidence that shows that routinely taking children's views and experiences into account within the family, at school and in other settings helps to develop their self-esteem, cognitive abilities, social skills and respect for others.

Through participation, children acquire skills, build confidence, extend aspirations and gain confidence. The more children participate, the more effective their contributions and the greater the positive impact on their development. We need to build environments in which children are recognised as active citizens, contributing to the decisions that affect their own lives as well as to their communities and the wider society.