Your child's rights in out-of-home care

Your child has rights while they are in out-of-home care. A caseworker will tell your child about these rights. If you'd like to discuss these rights with your child, the following information written for children and teens will help.

My rights in out-of-home care – The rights that children and young people have while in care. Under the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998, these rights are supported by carers and caseworkers.

Charter of Rights for children and young people in out-of-home care – Resources such as booklets, posters, and videos to help kids and teens in foster care understand their rights, and help them speak out if their rights are not respected. Available for 7 to 12 year olds and 13 to 17 year olds.

Mediation for contact disputes –  If children and their parents can't agree on how often they contact and see each other, then the option of meeting for a mediation through a legal body can be arranged to try and solve this issue.

Participation in case planning – While children and young people are in care, they have the right to be kept informed, express their views, and participate in decisions about what's happening in their lives. This right to participate is contained in the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998.