Opinion: It’s our job to make sure children keep their innocence

There would be a collective knot forming in the stomachs of parents who drop off their children to childcare every day, writes Jackie Sinnerton.

We need to do better as adults.

The story online today is disturbing.

Education authorities are investigating allegations of an assault by a four-year-old on a four-year-old where one received injuries consistent with a sexual assault.

This allegedly happened at a Queensland child care centre.

There would be a collective knot forming in the stomachs of parents who drop off their children to childcare every day.

Naturally the injured boy’s parents want answers as to how their son suffered an anal tear.

The boys are too young to warrant a criminal investigation by the police but the education department promised a thorough look into what happened at playtime last week.

Body curiosity in four-year-olds is not uncommon.

For generations small children have played doctors, perhaps sneaking a quick peek as to what lies beneath the clothes.

It’s something parents would keep a close eye on and would talk to the kids about.

But touching on private parts throws up a different picture.

A parent at this childcare had previously submitted a complaint about concerns of inter peer touching at the centre and the lack of supervision.

An anal tear? Well that is a whole different world.

Whatever the outcome of the investigation, every single four-year-old deserves a childhood that is bubble wrapped in innocence.

And that is the responsibility of all adults to deliver that.

Originally published as Opinion: It’s our job to make sure children keep their innocence