The Youth Voices Report reflects the diversity of young voices from across South Australian Aboriginal communities.

In this unique report, Aboriginal children and young people express views about issues impacting their lives.

Amplifying the voices of Aboriginal children and young people ensures their experiences and perspectives are prioritised in policy development and decision-making that affects their lives.

The Commissioner’s annual report outlines key focus areas and activities from 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022.

A major highlight was the Commissioner’s role receiving statutory powers and functions on 21 October 2021.

The enactment of formal powers has provided a stronger emphasis on the Commissioner’s role.

Since that time, the Commissioner has launched an Inquiry into the removal and placement of Aboriginal children.

The unexpected rising of the Black Lives Matter movement across the globe in early 2020 coincided with the sweeping dread of the COVID-19 pandemic across the world. The symbioses of these events throughout 2020 threw the plight of Aboriginal child removals into sharp relief and brought home a renewed focus on the 474 Aboriginal deaths in custody since the Royal Commission made its 339 recommendations in 1991.

In this context the report focuses on the unacceptable high level of removals of Aboriginal children from their families and communities and the equally shocking over-representation of Aboriginal children and young people in the criminal justice system within South Australia.

This report examines current government policy and recommends systemic approaches to stem the tide of Aboriginal child removals and incarceration.

This report reinforces the right of Aboriginal children to family, community and culture. It is a call to action of the critical role that family and community have at the table to lead decision making about each Aboriginal child’s future and signals that ‘family and culture is everything’ to their wellbeing.

When reading this report, please respect and value the voices and contributions of the Aboriginal children and young people, as they are the vessels for holding family, community and culture together.  Their inspiring messages of hope for a better future inform the need to give agency to Aboriginal young people’s voice, and to ensure the voice is directed to law makers, government and funded services, as well as the Aboriginal community.

Three key recommendations are listed in the Inaugural Report:

1. Establish an Aboriginal consumer led Peak Body;
2. Establish Aboriginal Family Care Commitees;
3. Legislate the role of Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People.

Also listed in the Inaugural Report is a ‘Road Map for Action’ listing priorities of the Office of the Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People.

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