Charter of Rights
your rights in care
As a child or young person in foster care you have the right to participate in decisions about what's happening in your life.
A Charter of Rights has been developed specifically for children and young people in out-of-home care. The Charter is a statement of the fundamental rights of children and young people in out-of-home care.
It covers the types of rights that most children and young people take for granted, like the right to have contact with family and community, to be respected and feel safe and to ask for information and complain if necessary.
Agencies which provide out-of-home care services and authorised foster carers have an obligation to uphold the rights outlined in the Charter.
The Charter of Rights has been developed in two comic-style booklets for:
The Charter is also available in Arabic, Chinese, Samoan, Spanish,Tongan,Turkish, Vietnamese.
The Charter of Rights will be sent to all children (over the age of six) and young people who are in out-of-home care under an order of the Children’s Court.
Foster carers will also receive copies of the Charter of Rights with a letter and a fact sheet on what the Charter of Rights means for them.
If you have any questions about the Charter, contact your local DoCS office and ask to speak with a caseworker. If you are a young person in care you can also speak to your carer.