Many South Australian children and young people are missing out on what others their age take for granted. They include those experiencing participation poverty, chronic illness, disability, carer responsibilities and/or homelessness – along with children and young people who have a parent in prison. These children and young people face significant systemic challenges that will continue to impact on their lives unless structural changes are made now. 

This report concludes that it is not inevitable that these children and young people should continue to fare poorly. It outlines clear actions for change across government, schools, community services and not-for-profit organisations.

Recommendations

1. Create a Minister for Children and Young People in South Australia.
2. Introduce a Human Rights Act in South Australia.
3. Introduce a Future Generations Act in South Australia to consider the impact of decisions on future generations, and to strengthen human rights protections for future generations of South Australians.
4. Introduce a Child Poverty Act in South Australia which establishes key child poverty reduction measures, indicators and targets.
5. Develop an Equity Impact Assessment Tool for Department for Education policies, guidelines, practice manuals and action plans.
6. Introduce an independent appeals mechanism for when children and young people are discriminated against in education settings.