Alerts

  • 'Child' means anyone under 18. The content on the following pages makes reference to child abuse, including sexual abuse, which some readers may find confronting. Support is available from Kids Helpline, Lifeline and Beyond Blue.

Information for Children and Young People

You have rights. It’s always ok to speak up if you are being hurt or complain if you are unhappy with how you are being treated. In Victoria we have Child Safe Standards to keep you safe.

At Council this means:

  • you can expect to be safe and to feel safe, at all our services, programs, activities and events. 
  • you can expect that adults that work here know how to keep you safe.
  • you can tell an adult here if you don’t feel safe and they must help you.
  • if you make a complaint we will listen, take it seriously and respond quickly.

We (Council) have a commitment to child safety. This poster (PDF 11.3mb) is in Plain English and this poster (PDF 4.6mb) is translated into العربية (Arabic), 中文 (Simplified Chinese), Ελληνικά (Greek), Italiano (Italian), नेपाली (Nepali), Türkçe (Turkish), and اردو (Urdu). 

Making a complaint about Council

You can make a complaint about:

  • one of our services, programs, activities or events

  • the way one of our staff has treated you

  • the way another person has treated you at one of our services, programs, activities, or events. This could be a child, young person or an adult

  • the way we have handled a problem

This poster (PDF 499kb) tells you the different ways you can make a complaint to us. It includes information in العربية (Arabic), বাংলা (Bengali), नेपाली (Nepali), پښتو (Pashto), Türkçe (Turkish) and اردو (Urdu).

This flyer (PDF 274kb) tells you about your rights and the complaints process. It tells you how we will respond. This information is also available in:

There is more information on this part of our website. You can also send your complaint from there. 

Other complaints or issues

It’s always OK to speak up and ask for help. You should always feel safe. Other organisations (for example, schools, clubs, businesses) will have different ways to speak up.  You can approach them  and ask them how you can make a complaint to them.  This video will give you some tips.

Some examples of things that might be bothering that you might want to speak up about:

  • you don’t feel safe
  • someone is hurting you
  • you feel like adults aren’t listening to you
  • you have a problem, but don’t want to talk to someone you know about it
  • you need help with something and don’t know who to ask

Support and resources

There is lots of information and other places that can also help you; here are a few.

  • This poster (PDF) will tell you the types of things that are child abuse. No adult should do any of these things to you. No matter what they say, it is not OK. Tell someone you trust if any of these things are happening to you. 

     

     

  • The United Nations is a group of countries. They work together to improve social conditions all around the work. They have a 'Convention of the Rights of a Child'. This is the rights all children should have or be able to do. This is a child friendly version these rights (PDF 740kb)

  • Being safe means that no one hurts you.

    Feeling safe means you:

    • feel comfortable and
    • trust the adults looking after you. 

    This Safety Detective (PDF 344kb) activity sheet can help you work out what this means for you. 

  • It is important to be and feel safe when you are online. Sometimes things happen to us online that make us feel bad or unsafe. If this happens the eSaftey Commissioner can help you. 

    Children can get help from the The eSafety Commissioner website using this link.

    Young people can get help from the The eSafety Commissioner website using this link.  

  • There are rules called Child Safe Standards. These rules mean we (Council) have to keep children and young people safe. 

    You can learn more about the rules from the Commission for Children and Young. 

  • Kids Helpline is a free 24/7 service for children and young people aged 5 to 25. It is a confidential and private counselling service. You can speak to them:

    Kids Helpline can help with lots of different things: 

    • Everyday topics like family, friends and school as well as,
    • More serious topics like
      • child abuse
      • bullying
      • mental health issues
      • drug and alcohol use
      • homelessness and
      • suicide.

  • headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation. They provide early intervention mental health services to 12-25 years olds. They support young people with different issues including:

    • mental health,
    • physical health (including sexual health),
    • alcohol and other drug services, as well as
    • work and study support.

    They focus on early intervention - working with young people to provide support at an important times in their lives.

    You can go to their website and create a FREE account to join an online support community. You will get instant 24/7 access to a range of tools and support for your mental health.

    • Build connections in a community of like-minded young people,
    • join group chats,
    • create your own personalised space and
    • get professional 1-on-1 support.

    All online and FREE.

  • WOAH is a website for young people and their adult allies about family violence. Information includes:

    • why it happens,
    • how to recognise it and
    • how to help others experiencing it.

  • Minus18 aims to change the lives of LGBTQIA+ youth in Australia. Minus18 are

    • leading change,
    • building social inclusion, and
    • advocating for an Australia where all young people are
      • safe,
      • empowered, and
      • surrounded by people that support them.

  • QLife provides anonymous, LGBTQIA+ peer support and referral for people wanting to talk about a range of issues including sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings or relationships.

    QLife services are FREE, delivered by trained LGBTQIA+ community members. The service is for LGBTQIA+ individuals, their friends and family and health professionals.
    Services are available from 3:00PM to midnight daily either via

  • Sometimes children or young people can't live at home.

    If you are living in out-of-home care you have rights. You can read these rights and what they mean here (PDF 88kb). 

  • Victoria Legal Aid have made a FREE booklet for young people in Victoria called 'Am I old enough?'.

    The booklet covers what you can and can't do because of your age. It tells you how different laws affect you.

    You can find the booklet and more information on their website.