Acknowledgement of Country

The Commissioner for Children and Young People proudly acknowledges and pays her respects to the Traditional Custodians of the lands and waters across Western Australia and acknowledges the Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation upon whose lands the Commissioner's office is located. She recognises the continuing connection to culture, lands, skies and waters, families and communities for all Aboriginal peoples. The Commissioner and her team also pay their respects to all Elders, past and present and emerging leaders. They recognise the knowledge, insights and capabilities of Aboriginal people, and pay respect to Aboriginal ways of knowing, being and doing.

A note about language

Prior to colonisation, Aboriginal people primarily communicated through the oral use of language. They were well versed in multiple languages to converse with surrounding groups for different contexts and responsibilities depending on where they were located. Seasonal movement was quite common for hunting, gathering and other related activities and language was often expressed through various forms of art, dance, songs and storytelling. The written form of the language arose from the interpretation of Aboriginal words captured by historical documentation and non-Aboriginal linguists who relied on western interpretations of sounds. This then created various forms of spelling for Aboriginal words that can differ and are often accepted and recognised. For example, Noongar, Nyungar and Noongah.

For the purposes of this report, the term 'Aboriginal' encompasses Western Australia's diverse language groups and recognises Torres Strait Islanders who live in Western Australia. The use of the term 'Aboriginal' in this way is not intended to imply equivalence between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, although similarities do exist.

Photographs of children and young people

All photographs featured in this Annual Report are of Western Australian children and young people and have been taken by or for the Commissioner for Children and Young People's office, with appropriate consents obtained. All artworks featured are created by Western Australian children and young people and shared with their consent.

Quotations from children and young people

A selection of quotations is included in this report on relevant topics. The quotations are generally unedited to ensure that the voice of the child or young person is authentically represented. Editing has only been done where necessary for clarity, understanding or for confidentiality. In this instance, any changes or omissions are marked with square brackets or an ellipsis (…).

Alternative formats

Alternative versions of this report are available. Please contact the Commissioner's office on 08 6213 2297, countrywide free call 1800 072 444 or info@ccyp.wa.gov.au.

Publication date: September 2026