In the Department for Education, Children and Young People, there is a new team working to protect the rights of children. This team is the Child and Youth Empowerment team. Their focus is to drive work that will embed the Department’s belief that ‘The rights of children and young people are upheld in all that we do, particularly the right to an education, to influence decisions that affect them, and to be safe from harm.’
The team is in the early stages of developing a Participation and Empowerment Strategy. Early in 2025 they will invite child and community voice to co-design foundational work to develop this strategy. The aim of the strategy is to build the voice and influence of children and young people in decisions that affect them. It will enhance opportunities for children and young people to participate in the services and supports provided by the Department.
As well as this, the team looks after individual advocacy for children and young people in Out of Home Care. This is a function of the Child Advocate, which is currently out for feedback as part of the draft Commission for Children and Young People Bill 2024. The team have two dedicated staff across the state to respond to referrals for children, young people and their care teams to support and guide child-centred, inclusive decision-making and planning.
The team also manages the Youth Voice Survey. This survey was developed by young people with a care experience. It allows young people in care to share their views directly into their care team and care planning processes. A similar, co-designed survey for younger children will be rolled out in 2025.
Find out more about child advocates for Out of Home Care on the DECYP website.