Australia’s youth justice systems are failing children and young people. They are ineffective, discriminatory, and actively harmful. At 54 reasons, we believe that meaningful change begins with listening - and acting on what young people tell us.
Over 2023–2024, we consulted with 31 young people engaged in our youth justice services across Queensland, the Northern Territory, Tasmania and Victoria. We asked them about connection, belonging, and what helps or hinders them in feeling seen, heard and valued. Their insights form the basis of our new report - Missing Pieces: Young People’s Search for Connection and Belonging.
"When people don’t listen I feel like nothing, I feel like they don’t care what I think"
– Participant, 17yrs
This consultation is part of 54 reasons' and Save the Children Australia's broader commitment to child rights and participation. It reflects our Child Rights Practice Framework and our Child Participation Framework - ensuring that children’s voices are not only heard, but respected and acted upon.
The consultation revealed four core insights from young people. These insights emerged through what participants said directly, as well as facilitators’ reflections on the overarching contributions from our young participants.
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A deep desire for connection including mentoring, family ties, and cultural engagement
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Being seen, heard and valued in genuine relationships with adults who show up, follow through and believe in them.
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The question of belonging including navigating tensions between ‘lore’ and ‘law’, and family and peer influence.
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Missing pieces - when services feel unsafe, inaccessible or when young people are excluded or misunderstood.
When me, my family, and my best friend’s family all got together for a BBQ down the lake. We all just had fun with heaps of laughs. I really felt connected then.
– Participant, 13yrs
Children and young people in the justice system are first and foremost children. And all children have enshrined rights - not to be earned, but to be honoured. They deserve to be treated with dignity, to have a voice in decisions that affect them, and to access support that recognises their individual needs and circumstances.
Our consultation highlights the importance of:
"I wish the school would have tried harder to keep me there. I think things would be different now. I was one of those kids that was too hard to help – I felt excluded by the teachers like they didn’t want me there"
– Participant, 18yrs
This report is part of our ongoing commitment to listen, reflect, and act - in fact, the consultation with young people was based on our promise that young people’s experiences and insights would be taken seriously. The insights shared by young people will shape our services, influence our advocacy, and guide our internal practice.
To learn more about what we're doing to embed the expertise, experience and insights from young people, download the report.
We've also made youth-friendly versions of the report - both for the broader community, and a special report-back to the young people who participated in the consultation. We hope that through them, young people can see that we are listening, learning and taking them seriously - and we also hope these reports will be useful for others.
Download them here:
This 2023 report details widespread child rights abuses in in Australia's youth justice system, and outlines the urgent action needed to ensure better outcomes for children and the community.
Download the report (2MB)
This booklet and poster set can help young people know and uphold their rights when in contact with the justice system.
Download the poster (1.5MB)Download the booklet (3MB)
54 reasons acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Owners and custodians of the land on which we work, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their lore, and to their Elders past, present and emerging.
54 reasons is a proudly inclusive organisation and an ally of the LGBTIQ+ community.
