Wednesday 29 October 2025 – for immediate release
Independent systems oversight has highlighted areas needing further work to address critical issues impacting children and young people’s rights, wellbeing and safety, as detailed in the Commission for Children and Young People’s annual report, tabled in the Parliament of Victoria today.
The annual report draws on the Commission’s analysis in progress and wrap-up reports covering six past systemic inquiries published today. Together they reinforce the need for government to strengthen service systems, including child protection, out-of-home care, education and youth justice, to address experiences of trauma and prevent harm in the first place.
‘It is positive to see some progress, but if we are to see real and lasting improvements in the lives of Victoria’s most vulnerable children and young people, it is vital there is sustained investment to meet demand and active efforts to reduce future demand by intervening earlier,’ said Meena Singh, Acting Principal Commissioner for Children and Young People, today.
‘We continue to see a child and family system under significant stress where children and young people are too often exposed to harm.
‘We need dedicated action to reduce this risk and stem the number of children and young people entering the care and justice systems. It is not enough to name the challenges – governments must commit to acting on them,’ Commissioner Singh added.
This year the Commission completed 37 child death inquiries for children who died within 12 months of their last child protection involvement. These inquiries resulted in 14 new recommendations to improve systems.
The Commission also commenced new inquiries into the effectiveness of referrals to services before the closure of child protection cases, and the services provided to an individual child in out-of-home care who is the subject of significant concerns.
In a year dominated by a public debate on youth crime, the Commission commenced an inquiry into the experiences of the criminal justice system of children under 14. This was established after continuing to see service system failures that lead to children being criminalised at a young age.
‘The systems impacting our most vulnerable children require the most robust oversight. Our monitoring work with these systems enables the Commission to identify specific areas of inquiry spanning broad systems, but also focusing on the lives of individual children,’ Commissioner Singh said.
For the first time, the Commission reported on the operation of its new advocacy powers, which have received no additional funding, but this year undertook advocacy for 38 children in out-of-home care.
Central to solutions that address service system issues must be the lived experiences of children and young people. As part of the South Sudanese Australian Youth Justice Expert Working Group the Commission continued to elevate the voices of South Sudanese Australian young people to pursue reforms that address the drivers of their overrepresentation in youth justice and their needs for support.
‘More than ever, this year saw the full range of the Commission’s work being directly informed by the voices and experiences of children and young people. Through direct engagement and consultation, and with the guidance of our Youth Council, our work continues to reflect what children and young people themselves see as most important in their lives,’ Commissioner Singh said.
‘Albeit at a slow pace, attention to the challenges children and young people face is growing. We will continue to elevate the views and expertise of children and young people to the benefit of our wider community,’ said the Commission’s Youth Council.
‘In working towards transformative change that responds to the challenges facing children and young people, it is critical that we continue to empower them, amplify their voices and centre their lived experience,’ Commissioner Singh concluded.
Download the Commission for Children and Young People annual report.
Media contact:
Darren Lewin-Hill
0437 046 360