South West Listening Tour report released

The Commissioner for Children and Young People, Jacqueline McGowan-Jones, has released a report on her recent visit to the South West region. 

For five days in March 2022, the Commissioner visited the South West region of Western Australia to meet with, and hear from, children and young people about their concerns and what matters to them. Young people consistently raised concerns about: safety on public transport and in the community; the environment; mental health; homelessness, poverty and
the cost of living; bullying - both at school and online; and the need for more opportunities in training and employment.

A key event during the visit was the inaugural meeting of the Commissioner’s Advisory Committee at Margaret River Senior High School.

The concerns raised by children and young people throughout the visit supported the information gathered by the Commissioner’s office through the state-wide Speaking Out Survey in 2021. These concerns demonstrate there is a need for a cohesive, holistic and child-focussed approach to community development and service delivery which better supports children and young people in accessing the appropriate supports at the right time.

The Commissioner is grateful to everyone in the South West that took time to share their experiences and insights with her.

“Money impacts everything – what we eat, what we wear, where we sleep” (13 year-old)