Ex-WA Police officer Kristi McVee says parents should ask these questions after Naomi Tekea Craig sex abuse

After the shocking sexual abuse of a student by a teacher at a Mandurah private school, parents are all asking the same question - how do I keep my child safe?

It took 16 months for anyone to notice that Frederick Irwin Anglican School teacher Naomi Tekea Craig was sexually abusing a former student.

The abuse began when the boy was 12 and continued until after he left the exclusive private school.

By then, Craig was already pregnant with the boy’s child.

But there are some signs that parents can look out for and steps they can take, according to former WA Police officer turned child safety educator Kristi McVee.

Ms McVee will be working with Frederick Irwin’s parents to teach them how to communicate with their children in the wake of the horrific abuse.

Speaking to the Mandurah Times, Ms McVee said there are some signs parents can look out for if they suspect their child is being groomed.

“Children may become protective of the adult, talk about them frequently or defend them when questioned,” Ms McVee said.

“They may receive unexplained gifts or privileges, become more secretive, withdraw from activities, or resist attending places they once enjoyed.

“Some children become unusually compliant or eager to please a particular adult.”

The ex-police officer believes that appropriate adult-child relationships are transparent, consistent and accountable.

“Inappropriate relationships tend to be secretive, exclusive and escalating,” she said.

“Adults should ask whether the interaction would look the same if others were present, whether a child is being singled out, and whether secrecy or special treatment is involved.”

Grooming often begins with boundary testing, according to Ms McVee.

“Common indicators include an adult repeatedly singling out the same child for special attention, rewards or tasks, creating opportunities for one-to-one time, gift-giving or offering forbidden treats, using secrecy or “special relationships”, bending rules for one child, or gradually increasing physical contact,” she added.

“Individually, these behaviours may appear minor, but the pattern over time is what raises concern.”

It was recently revealed that Craig would often take students out of class, invite them on weekend trips to the beach and ply them with lollies.

McVee said that schools should have clear policies that define when one-to-one time with students is ‘necessary’ and it must be visible, documented and time-limited.

“Systems should exist to record and respond to low-level boundary concerns by staff, with explicit rules around physical contact, communication, social media and gift-giving,” McVee added.

“Supervision structures should prevent staff being routinely alone with children without clear justification.”

McVee said this monitoring is not about mistrust but shared accountability.

“Leadership should be tracking patterns such as repeated one-to-one access, gradual crossing of professional boundaries over time or inconsistent application of child safety policies,” she said.

McVee has worked with hundreds of schools and early learning services across the country in frontline response to abuse.

She is now calling for national consistency in child protection standards, mandatory grooming recognition training, systems to track boundary concerns, and stronger accountability when failures occur.

“The Royal Commission made these recommendations a decade ago and they need to be fully implemented,” she said.

Teachers who suspect colleagues are pushing boundaries should report concerns immediately through leadership and comply with mandatory reporting obligations.

“Early reporting is about protecting children before harm occurs, not about punishment,” McVee said.

“When prevention works well, children are protected without visible or emotional harm occurring.”

Parents should also be teaching children that secrets about bodies, especially private parts, gifts “for no reason” or special relationships are not okay.

“They need to understand that these rules apply to everyone - including other children and adults they like or trust - and that they should tell a safe adult if anything feels uncomfortable or breaks body safety rules,” McVee said.

Offenders often target children who are vulnerable, compliant, isolated or unsure they will be believed.

“Parents can reduce risk by maintaining open communication, teaching body safety rights, reinforcing that children can say no to anyone, and making it clear they will be listened to and supported if they speak up,” McVee added.

When it comes to schools, parents should be asking if staff are trained to recognise grooming behaviours and clear boundary policies exist.

Parents should ask how low-level concerns are tracked, and what systems prevent children from being routinely alone with one adult.

“When it comes to child sexual abuse, transparency matters,” McVee said.

After Craig’s offending, according to McVee concerned parents shouldn’t ask leading questions.

Instead, they should calmly ask if anyone (adult or child) has made them feel uncomfortable, asked them to keep secrets, given them special treatment, or broken body safety rules.

“Children should be reassured they won’t get into trouble for speaking up,” McVee added.

“Direct victims may experience trauma, confusion, shame and long-term psychological harm.

“Other students can also be affected, even if they weren’t abused, experiencing fear, betrayal or confusion about trust.

“Whole-school support and repairing of trust is essential.”

McVee said the school can rebuild trust, but only through transparency, accountability and demonstrable change.

“Trust is rebuilt through action, not statements,” she added.

Head to McVee’s website for evidence-informed parenting resources and professional training programs designed to help adults recognise grooming behaviours early and have calm, age-appropriate body safety conversations with children.

The resources are focused on prevention, confidence and practical guidance rather than fear, and are available to parents, schools and early learning services.

The West does not suggest that there were any system or protocol failures at Frederick Irwin, or that the school was liable in any way for Craig’s offending.