Publications and reports

< back

The Commission's Annual Report 2010-2011 was tabled in parliament on 21 October 2011.

Commissioner's foreword

I am pleased to introduce the Commission’s Annual Report for 2010–2011 which sets out how we used our resources to represent the views, interests and experiences of the 1.6 million children and young people who live in New South Wales.

This is my first full year as NSW’s Commissioner for Children and Young People. During the year my team and I have been engaged in a range of activities and productive partnerships. We have heard the voices of many children and young people – telling us about their needs and aspirations, what is important to them and their views on the systems and services around them.

We continue to maintain strong relationships both within and outside government and have advocated strongly that the voices and interests of children and young people are part of all decision making that impacts on them. As part of this work we have responded to over 219 requests for advice and made a number of substantive submissions to government.

2011 saw the election of a new Government in NSW and I am pleased to have established a strong working relationship with the new Minister for Citizenship and Communities, the Hon Victor Dominello MP, who has, along with the joint Parliamentary Committee for Children and Young People, an oversight role in relation to the Commission. We have also worked closely with other agencies within the newly established Office of Communities on policy and planning activities relating to children’s wellbeing.

The independent statutory review of the Commission for Children and Young People Act 1998 was finalised during 2010. A summary of the results of this review were tabled by the Minister in Parliament in August this year, and reflect a strong commitment to the role of the Commission and its advocacy, research and monitoring roles, and well as general support for reforms to the Working with Children Check functions that bring it in line with those in other states and territories.

During this time I initiated a wide ranging stakeholder survey to obtain views about the Commission and its work, highlight significant and emerging issues for NSW children, and identify potential partnerships and other opportunities for the Commission to advance child wellbeing. This activity has helped the Commission develop a refreshed set of strategic directions and priorities and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all who participated for the invaluable insights provided. As a consequence, our business plan for 2011–2012 represents an ambitious and significant program of work, aligned with our core functions, which are set out under the Act.

This year has seen great progress made in relation to four of the Commission’s current flagship projects – involving children in the design of the built environment; understanding and responding to the needs of children in their middle years; the Commission’s Child Safe Organisation education and compliance program; and A picture of NSW children.

Following a review of the Commission’s child well-being monitoring function, the Picture was launched in May this year, significantly enhancing the Commission’s work in this area. The Picture brings together data from many collections to highlight various aspects of the lives of NSW children and is designed to help inform policy development and system and service planning.

Over the coming year, the Commission will continue to work on behalf of all NSW children and promote their wellbeing, and in particular for vulnerable children, including those who struggle to keep engaged with community and school. A major review of our child participation approaches and resources is also underway, along with significant cross government prevention work on monitoring and analysing child injury. The Commission will also continue to devote considerable resources to implementing reforms to the Working With Children Check system.

In my position as Commissioner, I have had the pleasure to meet with people from many professions and organisations over the year who have all demonstrated a determination to work together to support and foster the wellbeing of children and young people, to strengthen their resilience and improve their life opportunities. I extend my deep thanks to those who have worked with the Commission to make NSW a better place for children and young people and I look forward to furthering these collaborations over the coming year.

In closing, I would like to thank the Commission’s staff for their unfailing commitment to the children and young people of NSW. My sincere thanks also to the members of the Commission’s Young People’s Reference Group, the Commission’s Expert Advisory Committee, and all the children and young people I have met and engaged with in the course of my job.

Megan Mitchell
Commissioner

Hardcopy: Not Available

Download this publication

< back