Can We Actually Keep Our Children Safe – or Is It a Lie? Why Talking About It Could Be the Most Powerful Thing We Do

Let’s start with the hard truth.

In Victoria this month, we learned that a man entrusted with caring for young children, a 26-year-old early learning educator has been charged with over 70 offences related to the sexual abuse of at least eight children, some as young as five months old.

He worked across 20 different childcare centres from 2017 to 2025. Over 2,600 families have been contacted. At least 1,200 children are now considered potentially impacted.

This is more than a headline. This is every parent’s worst nightmare.

And the question echoes in our minds:
How do we keep our children safe?
Is it even possible?

“Total safety is a myth — but connection is a powerful protector.”

Safety Isn’t Just About Systems. It’s About Conversations.

We want to believe that checks, systems, and protocols will be enough. And yes, we absolutely need them. But when they fail (and this month, they did fail), what do we have left?

We have our voice.
We have our presence.
And we have our children’s trust, if we’ve built it.

That trust doesn’t come from panic.
It comes from repeated, real conversations about body safety, consent, boundaries, and what to do when something feels “not quite right.”

Talk About Consent Early – and Often

This doesn’t mean telling young kids scary stories. It means giving them a language for their own body, their instincts, and their right to say no.

It sounds like:

• “You never have to hug someone if you don’t want to.”
• “Your body belongs to you.”
• “You can always tell me if something feels weird, even if someone tells you not to.”
• “Secrets about bodies are not safe secrets.”

These are not one-time talks. They are a way of parenting.

“We can’t shield them from life, but we can walk beside them through it.”

Use the Dinner Table as Your Safe Place

At The Table Talk Project, we believe the dinner table is one of the most powerful, underused tools for emotional safety.

It’s not about grilling your kids.
It’s about normalising conversations that matter.

Try this:

• “Have you ever had a moment where your body said ‘no’ even when you weren’t sure why?”
• “Do you know what you’d do if a friend told you something that made you feel uncomfortable?”
• “What would safety feel like to you if something scary happened?”

These questions build muscle memory, the kind that kicks in when it matters most.

“Every honest table talk is a brick in their safety net.”

What Real Protection Looks Like

We cannot promise our children a world without danger. But we can raise children who:

• Know what consent means.
• Understand that they’re allowed to trust their gut.
• Know they can always come to us.
• Aren’t afraid of talking about the hard stuff.

That’s not weakness.
That’s strength.
That’s safety the kind that lives inside them, not just around them.

“Every honest table talk is a brick in their safety net.”

Don’t Be Afraid to Talk About the Hard Stuff

These conversations aren’t easy. They make your stomach twist. But silence is not protection it’s a risk.

Let’s not leave our kids to figure this out alone. Let’s not wait for the school curriculum, or the news, or the “right time.”

Let’s use the table.
Let’s use our stories.
Let’s use our love.

Because while we might not be able to guarantee safety…
we can promise they won’t face the world without us beside them.

“Fear locks the door. Conversation opens it.”

My friend Jayneen Sanders is an author and advocate in this space and you can access her resources here. They will help you to have these important conversations with your children.

If you would like to book me to speak at your next conference, or have me come and do an Immersive Experience of The Table Talk Project for your community of parents and families or you just have a questions please get in touch today at admin@thetabletalkproject.org or at this link.