ADVOCACY
We Started With One Child.
We Haven't Stopped
Since.
Change for Youth Foundation exists to improve the safety, wellbeing and life outcomes of children and young people across Australia.
Our advocacy focuses on three key areas where we believe systemic reform can make a lasting difference:
- CORPORAL PUNISHMENT LAW REFORM
- CHILD AND FAMILY ADVOCACY CENTRES
1. CORPORAL PUNISHMENT LAW REFORM
Change for Youth Foundation advocates for legal and policy reform to better protect children from physical punishment and violence and promote positive, evidence-based approaches to raising and supporting children. It is currently still lawful in most States of Australia (including Queensland) to use reasonable force to discipline a child.
Our work focuses on:
- Raising public awareness about the damage of corporal punishment drawing on research from the Australian Child Maltreatment Study 2023.
- Advocating for legal reform where children are not adequately protected;
- Promoting evidence-based approaches to parenting and discipline;
- Raising public awareness; and
- Supporting informed public and policy debate.
- Â Our founder, Lisa Honeychurch is a member of End Physical Punishment of Australian Children (EPPAC) advocacy group and we support the work of the Parent and Family Research Alliance to end physical punishment of Australian Children.
2. CHILD AND FAMILY ADVOCACY CENTRES
Change for Youth Foundation advocates for the development of Child and Family Advocacy Centres that provide a coordinated, child-centred and trauma-informed response to children and families affected by sexual abuse.
Children and families can be required to navigate multiple disconnected systems which are not trauma informed and repeatedly recount their experiences to different professionals causing significant and lasting additional damage.
Hetty Johnson has been a dedicated advocate for Child and Family Advocacy Centres for many years, championing their development and expansion, and will continue to advocate for a model that bring together relevant services – including child protection, police, health, therapeutic, legal and family support services – to provide a more coordinated response.
The focus will be on and approach that:
- Place children and families at the centre;
- Reduce the trauma of navigating fragmented systems;
- Improve collaboration and information sharing;
- Strengthen responses to abuse and neglect; and
- Ensure children are heard, protected and supported.
This work is led by Hetty Johnston, whose longstanding advocacy for Child and Family Advocacy Centres has been instrumental in advancing their development and recognition
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OUR ADVOCACY AND HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT US
PLEASE CONTACT US AT
INFO@CHANGEFORYOUTHFOUNDATION.ORG.AU
recent submissions
Queensland Child Safety Commission of Inquiry
The Queensland Child Safety Commission of Inquiry was an independent inquiry established by the Queensland Government in May 2025 to examine systemic problems in the state’s child protections system and recommend reforms to improve outcomes for children, young people, carers and families. It was led by Paul Anastassiou KC. Change for Youth Foundation was proud to provide submissions to the Inquiry on issues relating to key areas of advocacy around early intervention and education support.
Read the Full Submission >
Child Protection Litigation Review 2024
Change for Youth Foundation advocated for reforms to the child protection litigation process in Queensland, calling for greater accountability, independent legal representation for children, and enhanced early family-finding practices.
