The Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People is the only independent body created solely to promote the rights, development and wellbeing of Aboriginal children and young people, at a systemic level, and works alongside other independent oversight and advocacy bodies such as the Commissioner for Children and Young People and the Guardian for Children and Young People.

The Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People is empowered to undertake a range of functions related to Aboriginal children and young people’s rights, development and wellbeing. These include developing culturally safe and informed strategies and promoting Aboriginal voice with regard for the safety and wellbeing of all Aboriginal children and young people.

Inaugural Report December 2019

What matters to Aboriginal Children and Young People, their families and communities: South Australia’s Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People Inaugural Report December 2019

View the report

We're on facebook!

Find out about our latest news, updates, and upcoming events.

View our page

Welcome to the Commissioner for Aboriginal Children & Young People website

Be Seen. Be Heard. Flourish.

The artwork by Jordan Lovegrove, a young Ngarrindjeri man, was created for April Lawrie, Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People which lays the foundation of the Commissioner’s work with the artwork symbolising the importance of having both culture and identity alongside safety and wellbeing to ensure Aboriginal children and young people can reach their full potential.

View the full Commissioner's Branding Story

Call for SA to take national lead in lifting criminal age to 14

Pressure is mounting on the State Government to lift the age of criminal responsibility in South Australia from 10 to 14 years, but Attorney-General Vickie Chapman says no decision will be made until a federal review is handed down. Read the full article (InDaily,...

Aboriginal mothers “absolutely helpless” after babies taken at SA hospitals

Aboriginal babies deemed at-risk by South Australia’s Child Protection Department are being removed from their mothers at Adelaide hospitals, not long after birth, in processes advocates say are unnecessarily cruel and opaque. Stephanie Richards talks to...

SA looks interstate to improve care for Aboriginal children

Child protection experts from across the country have been asked to help South Australia improve outcomes for Aboriginal children, after a report revealed a decline in the number of young people being placed in culturally appropriate care. Read the full article...

Acknowledgement of Country

We would like to acknowledge the Kaurna people as the Traditional Owners of the lands and waters of the Adelaide region on which the office of South Australia’s Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People is located.

We also acknowledge all other Traditional Owners throughout South Australia for who the Commissioner seeks to serve the best interests of their Aboriginal children and young people. In doing so, we pay respect Elders and families, both past and present, and pay reverence to today’s Aboriginal children and young people as they emerge as our future leaders.