After eight years as South Australia’s inaugural Commissioner for Children and Young People, Helen Connolly has released her final report focusing in on the children and young people who she has seen are missing out on what others their age are able to take for granted.
They include those South Australian children and young people who are experiencing participation poverty, chronic illness, disability, carer responsibilities and/or homelessness – along with children and young people who have a parent in prison.
The report captures the diversity within each group and emphasises that these children and young people are so much more than just their lived experiences and have the right to have their experiences acknowledged and heard. They need to be listened to in terms of what changes need to be made to improve their situations and have these respected and validated.
The Commissioner says while modest changes have been made for some of these groups, there has been little substantial achievements for most.
Read the full media release here.
