About the office
The Office of the Advocate for Children and Young People is established under the Advocate for Children and Young People Act 2014 (the Act). The Advocate is an independent statutory appointment oversighted by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Children and Young People.
The Office opened on 9 January 2015.
The functions of the Advocate are:
- to advocate for and promote the safety, welfare and well-being of children and young people aged 0-24 years,
- to promote the participation of children and young people in the making of decisions that affect their lives and to encourage government and non-government agencies to seek the participation of children and young people appropriate to their age and maturity,
- to conduct special inquiries into issues affecting children and young people,
- to make recommendations to government and non-government agencies on legislation, reports, policies, practices, procedures and services affecting children and young people,
- to conduct, promote and monitor research into issues affecting children and young people,
- to promote the provision of information and advice to assist children and young people,
- to prepare, in consultation with the Minister, a three year Strategic Plan for Children and Young People in the State,
The Act also establishes the NSW Youth Advisory Council (YAC) of which the Advocate is an ex officio member. The Advocate is also responsible for providing secretariat support to the YAC.
In undertaking these functions that Advocate is to focus on systemic issues affecting children and young people and to give priority to the interests of vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people.
The Act requires the Advocate to prepare an annual report to Parliament on the Advocate’s activities during that year in relation to each of the Advocate’s functions.
