Children, young people, and their families are at the heart of everything the Queensland Family and Child Commission (QFCC) does. We are dedicated to bringing children’s rights to life and improving the child protection, youth justice and family support system.
There is a disproportionate representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people in the youth justice system therefore opportunities must be provided to allow the voices of those impacted, to be heard and taken into account in decision making.
The Yarning for Change project is a qualitative study to investigate the lived experiences of children, young people, and young adults 8 – 25 years who are at risk of encountering, have contact with, or are currently in the Queensland youth justice system.
The QFCC is gathering the views and perspectives of these children and young people to identify and influence systemic change, with an emphasis on the disproportionate rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people in this system. Phase 1 of this project is about facilitating culturally appropriate community conversations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people about their interactions with the justice system.
This presentation will share the the views and perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people who have experienced Queensland's youth justice system – their ideas, advice and solutions to improve the system and their own life outcomes.
The goal of the Yarning for Change project aligns to the conference theme Strengthening Our Voice Through Millennia of Wisdom. The presentation topic is Learning from the Past to Thrive in the Future: Our Stories – Our Experiences – Our Solutions and we will present on the findings and learnings of the Yarning for Change project.