Agency Performance - Build relationships and strategically influence key stakeholders to drive change for children and young people

The Commissioner engages regularly with key stakeholders to advocate for the rights, wellbeing and interests of children and young people. Through these relationships, the Commissioner shares insights from research, evidence and engagement activities to inform policy development, influence service delivery, and promote positive outcomes for children and young people.

Stakeholders include leaders and representatives from government and non-government sectors, peak bodies, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, community and philanthropic organisations, and national and interstate agencies and networks focused on children and young people.

Strong partnerships and collaborative relationships are central to the Commissioner's ability to drive strategic change. By working with organisations and advocates across sectors, the Commissioner helps ensure that the voices, rights and needs of children and young people are recognised and reflected in the policies, programs and services supporting their growth, development and wellbeing.

2025-26 presentations

The Commissioner places a high priority on public advocacy for the rights, needs and wellbeing of children and young people. She is a sought-after speaker at conferences and meetings both nationally and within Western Australia on issues affecting children and young people.

At the 2025 Catholic Women's League of WA Conference, the Commissioner spoke about youth justice, raising her concerns about key issues in Western Australia for young people, including the misleading public perception of a 'youth crime wave' and the impact the youth justice system has on vulnerable young people.

The Commissioner's presentation at the Department of Communities Children's Week Seminar focused on the National Principles for Child-Safe organisations and the important steps that organisations can take to ensure that children and young people are safe and supported in raising any concerns.

At the Informa Australia Children and Young People at Risk Summit, the Commissioner spoke about WA-specific risks and trends in child safety, mental health, education and justice, and highlighted the importance of participatory approaches that amplify children's voices in shaping policy.

At the Edith Cowan University Justice Research Network inaugural conference, the Commissioner presented the current state of progress in Western Australia on youth justice and reiterated the importance of prevention and early intervention initiatives that prioritise holistic, child-centred case management, reducing the age of criminal liability and ending solitary confinement. The Commissioner also presented a session on her experience of women in leadership at the WA Women in Leadership Summit.

The Commissioner also participated in panels at conferences and summits, including presenting the key reflections in system change for the enhanced safety and wellbeing of children panel at the National Improving Outcomes and Experiences for At Risk Children Conference and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Commissioner's Panel at the SNAICC National Conference.

Other panel presentations included the 54 Reasons Child Rights Symposium in Melbourne and the Association of Independent Schools Aboriginal Communities conference in Broome.

Improving outcomes for Aboriginal children and young people

Supporting Aboriginal children and young people is central to the Commissioner's work, and it requires more than consultation, it requires genuine partnership. Their cultures, histories and identities shape their experiences, and any decisions that affect their lives must reflect this reality.

Working alongside Aboriginal children, families and communities means recognising their strengths, acknowledging the ongoing impacts of colonisation and committing to approaches that are culturally secure, respectful and community led. When we listen deeply and act with care, we help create the conditions for stronger outcomes, healing and self determination.

Much of the Commissioner's work spans multiple strategic pillars, and this is especially true of initiatives involving Aboriginal children and young people. Their perspectives guide our priorities, influence our advocacy and strengthen our understanding of what meaningful change looks like.

Under the Commissioner for Children and Young People Act 2006, the Commissioner must prioritise the interests and needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people as well as those who are vulnerable or disadvantaged. This responsibility shapes our approach and ensures that their voices remain at the forefront of our work.

The following projects highlight the key areas of focus aimed at improving outcomes for Aboriginal children and young people across Western Australia.

"[I'm proud of] the absolute resilience after everything us Aboriginal people have been through." – WA young person

Yule River

The Commissioner attended the 10th Annual On-Country Bush Meeting at Yule River, on Kariyarra Country, in July 2025. The event is led by the Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation Pilbara Regional Committee to listen to community priorities and support ongoing advocacy efforts across the Pilbara. Reflecting on the 2024 Call to Action and the subsequent Pilbara Listening Tour, the Commissioner highlighted the key issues affecting children and young people, including housing, justice, mental health, personal safety and poverty, and reinforced the need for shared decision making and a coordinated child and family wellbeing strategy.

The Commissioner reaffirmed her commitment to advocating for increased programs, services and support for children and young people across the Pilbara and Mid-West regions. She also endorsed the community's priorities for systemic reform in education, health, wellbeing and community safety, aligning with the 2024 Call to Action Statement and broader efforts to ensure that all children feel safe, valued and empowered to thrive.

The Commissioner will attend the next On-Country Bush Meeting at Yule River in July 2026.

Find out more: Yule River Bush Meeting 2025.

Yamatji On-Country Bush Meeting

Hosted by the Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation and the Bundiyarra Aboriginal Community Corporation, the Yamatji On-Country Bush Meeting provides an important opportunity for the Commissioner to engage with a significant community-led initiative fostering meaningful dialogue between First Nations communities across the Mid-West, Gascoyne and Murchison with government representatives.

In September 2025, the Commissioner attended the 5th Annual Yamatji On-Country Bush Meeting, where she supported initiatives that amplify the voices of young people and strengthen cultural connection, particularly the Elders Film Project. This culturally grounded initiative brings Elders and young people together to share stories, knowledge and cultural perspectives through film. The project aims to strengthen cultural identity, connection, wellbeing and belonging for regional young people while building practical skills in storytelling, filming and creative expression.

The Commissioner will attend the next On-Country Bush Meeting at Yule River in July 2026.

Fitzroy Valley visit

In September 2025, the Commissioner travelled through the Looma Community en route to Fitzroy Crossing for a two-day regional engagement visit.

At Fitzroy Valley District High School, the Commissioner met with students whose artwork is featured in the 2024-25 Annual Report as part of the Commissioner's Acknowledgement of Country project. She personally thanked each contributor and presented the school with a copy of the publication, recognising the students' significant contribution to a report shared across Western Australia and tabled in Parliament.

The Commissioner met with staff from Marra Worra Worra Aboriginal Corporation Youth Services to discuss youth engagement and service delivery across the Fitzroy Valley. She then visited the Marra Worra Worra Night Space, a community-run facility that operates seven nights a week for disengaged and street-present young people. Since opening in September 2024, the Night Space has recorded more than 12,500 individual engagements and prepared more than 21,650 meals.

The Commissioner also attended the Baya Gawiy Buga yani Jandu yani U Centre's celebration marking 13 years of the Baya Gawiy Early Childhood Learning Unit, operated by Marninwarntikura Women's Resource Centre. The celebration included the launch of the Buga Yanu Junba songbook and album, written and recorded in Bunuba, Gooniyandi, Walmajarri and Kimberley Kriol languages. The Commissioner acknowledged the unit's recent 'Exceeding' rating under the National Quality Framework, a milestone reflecting the centre's exceptional commitment to early childhood education and care.

Connecting with community in Mparntwe

A trip to Mparntwe (Alice Springs) in May 2026 gave the Commissioner an opportunity to spend time with community leaders and organisations working to support Aboriginal children, young people and their families.

Attending the opening of the Ngura Tjuta Hub, alongside the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress health hub and childcare centre, highlighted the importance of collaboration across jurisdictions. This work reflects strong tri-state advocacy between Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory, in partnership with the Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Women's Council, which played a key role in supporting the establishment of the Ngura Tjuta Hub.

Through these engagements, including connecting with Kulintja Kutju and Tri-state Empowered Communities, the Commissioner had the opportunity to listen and learn directly from the community. These discussions reinforced the importance of creating safe, culturally respectful spaces that enable people to share their stories openly and underscored the value of community-led solutions in supporting the wellbeing of children, young people and their families.

The Commissioner spoke about the deep connection between mental health, educational engagement, service access and justice, emphasising that holistic support for the whole family from pre-birth onwards is needed for Aboriginal children and young people to grow up happy, strong and healthy.

Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia Youth Conference

In May 2026, the Commissioner gave a speech at the 2026 Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia Youth Conference about the issues affecting Aboriginal children and young people across Western Australia.

She also sat on a panel with young Aboriginal people and her message was simple but powerful: 'We must listen'.

Young people have told the Commissioner that they are concerned about mental health, belonging and access to support. They want adults to take them seriously, and systems that respond before things reach a crisis point.

The Commissioner spoke about the importance of listening deeply to children and young people, particularly Aboriginal children and young people, and recognising the strength, knowledge and leadership held by Aboriginal families, parents and communities.

A highlight was the panel discussion featuring young Aboriginal representatives and an Aboriginal parent and family representative, who shared their perspectives on how education can better hear, value and respond to Aboriginal voices.

Reconciliation WA's Education Reconciliation Industry Networking Group

In May 2026, the Commissioner took part in a panel with Reconciliation WA's Education Reconciliation Industry Networking Group, bringing together leaders from across early childhood, school and adult education to discuss reconciliation, shared responsibility and best practice across the education system.

Conference media: LinkedIn post.

In addition to the above priority projects, events and visits, the Commissioner and her team continue to celebrate and acknowledge important occasions such as Reconciliation Week, NAIDOC Week and National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day by attending community events and schools, encouraging staff participation in education workshops and sharing knowledge and information about these significant days and weeks of recognition with our stakeholders via social media and other digital channels.