Children and young people in care and detention have rights to ensure their safety and wellbeing. These rights are outlined in their respective Charter of Rights.
Children and young people can contact our office if they feel they are not being listened to by their carer, social/case worker, the Department for Child Protection or staff at the Kurlana Tapa Youth Justice Centre.
Children and young people can talk to us about:
- safety in care
- where they are living
- contact with siblings and family
- appropriate care
- planning for transition from care
- access to education, health and disability services
- participation in decision-making
- cultural connection and support
Our advocates will work with the child or young person to ensure their voice is heard and their rights and best interests are being met as outlined in the Charters.
Read more about what we do.
Teaching young people about their rights
It is important that children and young people know about their rights while they are in care or detention. We have a number of resources to assist you and the children or young people you work with or care for to better understand their rights. Or check out our For young people page.
Contacting our office
Adults who live and work with children and young people in care and detention – such as teachers, social/case workers or carers – can also contact us to talk about their concerns.
If you are an adult, we will ask you whether the young person could contact us themselves because we prefer to speak to children and young people directly if possible. If they need help to do this, a safe adult they trust can support them.
Before you call us, we recommend reading the frequently asked questions for adults.
In an emergency
We advocate for the rights and interests of children and young people in care and detention but we are not able to provide a crisis response.
If you have a reasonable suspicion that a child has been or is being abused or neglected, please phone the
Child Abuse Report Line (CARL) on 13 14 78.
Always call 000 in an emergency.
Subscribe to our weekly blog
Subscribe to our blog and receive weekly updates on current issues and news affecting children and young people in care and detention.
