Tea Gardens Public School celebrates Children’s Week with a visit from the NSW Advocate

CHILDREN’S Week 2025 has been celebrated at Tea Gardens Public School with a special visit from the NSW Advocate for Children and Young People (ACYP).

Zoe Robinson met students and staff on Friday, 24 October, as part of the government initiative, “Everyone should know about Children’s Rights”.

Her role is to raise awareness of Article 42 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

“Every child has rights, everywhere, every day,” Ms Robinson said.

“Children’s Week is a chance to not just talk about rights but to bring them to life in fun and meaningful ways.”

To support this year’s celebration, the ACYP created a video featuring children from across NSW explaining each right in a child-friendly way.

There are also flash cards and an activity sheet.

According to the ACYP information, NSW has over 2.1 million children and young people aged 0–18, with around 1.4 million living in metropolitan Sydney and over 700,000 growing up in regional and rural areas.

Each one deserves to feel seen, heard and valued.

“Children’s Week reminds us that every step we take to raise awareness of rights is a step towards making NSW a safer, fairer and more inclusive place for children and young people,” Ms Robinson said.

“As Advocate my role is to sit with and listen to children and young people in many different spaces across NSW, and Children’s Week is one of my favourite weeks to celebrate.

“Being here in Tea Gardens and engaging with the students at Tea Gardens Public School and teaching them about Children’s Rights is a beautiful way to celebrate Children’s Week.

“This year, we encourage children, young people, families and communities to celebrate the achievements of the youngest people in their lives and not just talk about rights but to bring them to life in fun and meaningful ways.”

Principal Mark Clemson said that the school was honoured to welcome Ms Robinson.

“Zoe read ‘Little People, Big Dreams – Vanessa Nakate’ to all students from Kindergarten to Year 6, inspiring them to understand the power of their rights and the importance of having their voices heard,” he told News Of The Area.

“She generously donated this book along with The Big Book of Rights to our school library – gifts that will be cherished by future generations.

“Through these stories and her classroom visits, our students connected deeply with the impact they can make by speaking up and knowing their rights, and this meaningful experience has empowered our students to become confident, informed advocates for themselves and our local community – reminding us all that every child’s voice matters.”

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) has been adopted by the UN General Assembly and is recognised by 196 countries, with the notable exception of the United States.

By Thomas O’KEEFE