Agency Performance - Strengthen the organisation and achieve corporate best practice

Strengthen the organisation and achieve corporate best practice

As an organisation dedicated to advocating for children and young people, it is essential that our internal systems and structures are as strong and effective as the work we do externally. This section highlights our ongoing efforts to strengthen the organisation and achieve corporate best practice, ensuring we remain accountable, sustainable, and equipped to deliver meaningful outcomes for children and young people.

To achieve corporate best practice in 2024-25 we have strengthened governance frameworks, enhanced our risk management strategies and compliance processes, improved financial accountability, and are investing in workforce capability through targeted professional development for staff. We continue to offer training that develops our team professionally and personally, such as psycho-social safety in the workplace, which all staff undertook this year. We are proud to be an inclusive and culturally diverse workplace and are committed to strengthening this representation in the coming year.

Internships

Our internships offer a unique and enriching experience, providing students with valuable insights into advocacy, policy development, research, and community engagement. In 2024-25, the Commissioner hosted eight interns in the policy, research, and evaluation teams from the McCusker Centre for Citizenship, Edith Cowan University and the University of Western Australia. Interns were involved in various projects which complimented their studies, including work on the 2025 ‘Profile of Children and Young People in WA’. They became valuable members of our team and we learnt so much from them. 

We also had work experience and work placement students throughout the year and have more recently welcomed a Solid Futures trainee and a school-based trainee to our team. We are committed to supporting young people by providing real and meaningful work experience opportunities. 

In early 2025, the Commissioner also sponsored interns from the McCusker Centre for Citizenship to work with policy team on the Wicked Problems project. The aim of the project was to develop advocacy tools to raise public awareness, influence policy decisions, and support families facing poverty, ensuring poverty is not mistaken for neglect or used as a reason to remove children from their homes. The students excelled in their roles, creating a comprehensive project and mock website. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Maanvik, Amanda, Kaitlyn, Sadee, and Luna from the Wicked Problems project at the University of Western Australia, for their enthusiastic participation in this project.

"I am drawing close to my six-month mark as a trainee with the Commissioner for Children and Young People through the Solid Futures program. So far working in the public service has been an extremely eye-opening experience and has opened doors to a whole new world for me. The
amount of professional development and knowledge I’ve gained from simply networking with various different external and internal clients has been unique and important experience in my career pathway. The Speaking Out Survey has played a massive part in my training and has given me the opportunity to really understand what exactly the work we carry out within CCYP is all about. I am looking forward to the rest of my traineeship here at CCYP, and I am really grateful that I am a part of this team.” Bart, 20, Solid Futures Trainee

Interns included:
• Bart – Solid Futures Trainee
• Layla – School-Based Trainee
• Megat Danish – McCusker Foundation
• Phillipa – McCusker Foundation
• Perri – McCusker Foundation
• Aaron – McCusker Foundation
• Rachel – McCusker Foundation
• Shashwath – McCusker Foundation
• Mayuri – McCusker Foundation
• Ashleigh – McCusker Foundation
• Leah – Edith Cowan University
• Savannah-Leigh – Curtin University
• Sammi – high school work experience placement.

Complaints handling

The Commissioner has a statutory responsibility to ensure that the voices of children and young people are heard and acted upon. Our approach to complaints is structured across four key areas:

• We monitor how other agencies manage complaints, ensuring accountability and continuous improvement

• We support individuals who contact us with complaints by offering guidance, referrals, and appropriate follow-up

• We address any complaints made about our own office with transparency and responsiveness

• We track and analyse trends in complaints about issues affecting children and young people to help identify systemic issues and inform broader advocacy efforts.

"If I tell someone something I don't want it shared with others unless I agree."

Monitoring complaints regarding children and young people

It is a requirement of the Commissioner for Children and Young People Act 2006 to monitor trends and complaints made by, or on behalf of, children and young people.

While there is no capacity in the legislation for the Commissioner to advocate on an individual basis, she can advocate for systemic change and provide people with advice on where to seek further assistance or refer them to the appropriate agencies for support. In urgent matters where the Commissioner feels a person faces an immediate risk, she will escalate the matter to the relevant agency for urgent action.

The complaints monitoring process allows the Commissioner to identify in real time, significant issues and trends that arise related to children and young people.

Over the past 12 months 59 complaints were received in total, with two involving the Commissioner directly and the rest involving other agencies and organisations. Of the 59 complaints received, seven were from children or young people.

"Didn't want to look ungrateful or be seen as a child by complaining about something minor or insignificant."

Reviewing the complaints monitoring processes of other organisations

Under the Act, the Commissioner is required to monitor trends in complaints by children and young people to government agencies and the way in which a government agency investigates a complaint made by a child or young person.

In 2024, the Commissioner surveyed 25 government agencies, four TAFE providers, four accountability agencies, three local governments, and two non-government organisations, on their complaints systems and the complaints received from children and young people.

In 2025, the Commissioner conducted a survey into children and young people’s experiences in making complaints. Thirty-six children and young people took the survey, highlighting the need for child-focused complaints systems that are safe, supportive and responsive to children
and young people.

An analysis of reported data yielded valuable insights into trends in complaints made by children and young people. In conducting this work, the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations were taken into account, with particular emphasis on ensuring that processes for responding to complaints and concerns were child-focused.

Focus groups engaged children and young people to capture lived experience and gather unique perspectives on complaints processes to further inform key findings. This resulted in the release of the ‘Monitoring of Child-Focused Complaints Systems Report’ in May 2025.

The complaints audit will be conducted biennially, strengthening the ability of the Commissioner to identify systemic issues affecting the wellbeing of children and young
people.

By conducting regular audits, we aim to ensure complaints systems meet the needs of children and young people so they feel heard, safe, and supported to speak up and make complaints.

Leading by example

Child-friendly complaint services are essential to ensure that children and young people feel safe, heard and respected. These services provide accessible and age-appropriate ways for children to raise concerns, seek help, or report mistreatment without fear of judgment or retaliation. When designed with their needs in mind – using clear language, supportive staff, and confidential processes – complaint systems can empower children to speak up and trust that their voices will be taken seriously. Importantly, they also help organisations identify and address issues early, promoting safer and more responsive environments for all children.

It has been one of the Commissioner’s key priorities this year to improve our website and ensure seeking information about how to make a complaint is easy for children and young people and they have all the resources needed to assist them. We also updated our mental health resources web page to ensure children and young people have the best supports possible if they are going through something and need help.

An easy-to-read complaints flowchart is also available on the Commissioner’s website explaining the process in simple language and visuals. This is also sent to the complainant when they are under 18 years old.

For those seeking more detailed information, links to the Commissioner’s complaint policies are clearly listed on the relevant webpage.

Given the nature of complaints and particularly those that involve children and young people, it is extremely important that conversations and the auto-response are ‘humanised’ – i.e. that personable language is used and the complainant’s commitment to improving the wellbeing and safety of children and young people is acknowledged.

All communication is grounded in inclusivity and respect for diversity of cultures, genders, backgrounds and ages.

Every opportunity is taken to encourage children and young people that their voice matters and their complaints should be heard. The Commissioner distributes information wherever it is possible and relevant – particularly through her events and activities in schools, colleges and forums.

Click here to view complaints flowchart.

"They should be able to access helplines and services without their parents knowing because some parents don't want their children to go anywhere they don't trust." 14 year old

Encouraging excellence

To encourage excellence in the government and non-government sector, the Commissioner is sponsoring a new category at the Institute of Public Administration Australia WA Achievement Awards, recognising an organisation for best practice in child-focused complaints handling processes.

Recipients of this award will have demonstrated an ongoing commitment to and excellence in involving children and young people in the design, implementation, or ongoing improvement of their complaints handling systems.

Nominations closed mid-June for 2025 and the winner will be presented in December.

Read other chapters of the 2024-2025 Annual Report