Children’s Voices Reports Across Australia

Children and families do best when we listen to what they have to say, and take this into consideration when making decisions that affect them.

More and more adults across Australia are understanding how important (and effective!) it is to incorporate the voices of children into their work.

While we’re not all in a position to consult widely with children, we can all play a part in elevating children and their opinions.

One of the ways we can do this is by valuing the work of Children’s Commissioners and Advocates across Australia.

A lot is already known about what children in Australia need; let’s listen deeply to what they are saying and continue to build on this work…

Key reports based on the voices of children

See below for a list of recent reports – by topic – from Children’s Commissioners across Australia. Note that some of the reports may include information across multiple topics but for simplicity are listed under the main topic area (or under ‘General Issues’ for broad consultations).

This resource has been created for National Child Protection Week to:

Raise awareness of the work of Australia’s Children’s Commissioners and the importance of the voices of children and young people
Ensure that important consultation reports across Australia are accessible to decision-makers and anyone whose work affects children and young people. Most of the reports are state/territory-based and – until now – have not been easily accessible in one place.
Highlight quotes from children and young people on particular topics relevant to NAPCAN’s current work.

NOTE: Many other organisations (eg Mission Australia, CREATE Foundation) also create valuable consultation reports. At this stage, this page is dedicated to the work of Children’s Commissioners; however, it is intended that other reports may be added at a later stage as resources permit.