Speaking to a diverse crowd gathered after the walk over the bridge from Forster to Tuncurry's John Wright Park, Kayleigh Dillon did not shy away from the confronting topic.

"To think that there are people out there in our community who want to hurt us is scary.  It is comforting, however, to know that even more people out there are keeping an eye on us and our welfare."

This 'comfort' was on display with approximately 200 people taking part in the event.  School students of all ages were there along with representatives from various organisations working in the realm of child protection.  Some tourists even joined in - inspired by the cause.

"There is so much child abuse going on at the moment and they are not old enough to speak up for themselves," Julie Olding from Raymond Terrace said after joining the colourful walk across the bridge.

The impacts of child abuse can last a lifetime.  It threatens the wellbeing of current and future children by affecting their mental, emotional and physical health, educational attainment and employment. 

The National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN) has been running National Child Protection Week for over 20 years, providing communities and individuals with practical information to take action at a local level. 

The local bridge walk was organised by a range of services involved in child protection including Tobwabba Medical Centre, Home-start, Homebase, Mission Australia, Forster Neighbourhood Centre and Indigenous Community Links.

If you are concerned about the safety of a child, call 132 111 immediately.