The Commissioner for Children and Young People Tasmania’s latest report is now available, which captures children and young people’s views on the proposed new Commission for Children and Young People. By listening to, respecting and responding to the voices of children and young people, we uphold their right to participate in decisions that affect their lives.
The Commissioner for Children and Young People Tasmania’s latest report, “Letting them have a say”: Children and young people’s views on the proposed new Commission for Children and Young People, has been released.
In September 2024, the Tasmanian Government released draft legislation outlining its plans to establish a new Commission to stand up for the rights and wellbeing of all children and young people in Tasmania, as recommended by the Commission of Inquiry.
To help inform my feedback, I invited young Tasmanians to share their views with me about the new Commission through a postcard-based activity during October and November.
The response was remarkable — nearly 700 children and young people from across Tasmania took the opportunity to express their views, hopes, and ideas for their new Commission. Their insights were invaluable in shaping my feedback on the draft legislation, available here, and such was the quality and quantity of their views, I felt it was essential to share them more widely with the Tasmanian community.
Children and young people had a great deal to say about the things that matter to them. Their views are critical not only for shaping the legislation and design of their new Commission but also for informing broader work undertaken by governments on their behalf. Through their postcards, young Tasmanians have outlined what is needed for children and young people to have a good life and what their new Commission should focus on to ensure they are well supported.
By listening to, respecting and responding to the voices of children and young people, we uphold their right to participate in decisions that affect their lives.
The report, a child-friendly poster version, and a sample gallery of children and young people’s postcard artworks are available on my website, here.