Community visitors for children and young people
What do community visitors do?
We protect and promote the rights, interests, and wellbeing of children and young people in out-of-home care or youth detention.
We’re independent, which means we don’t work for Child Safety, the courts, or the Department of Education.
One of the ways we support you is by visiting you where you’re staying. During our visits, we’ll:
- make sure you’re safe and well
- listen to you and ensure your voice is heard
- help you have a say in decisions that affect you.
There are times in your life when having mates around is the best.
Whether it's a hand with your homework, trying to beat the high score, or chucking a ball around at the backyard.
But now and then, there are times you need a friend to look out for you more than ever.
Now, for kids in out-of-home care just like you, that friend is a Community Visitor, or CV, from the Office of the Public Guardian. A fancy name, friendly people.
Your CV will look out for you to make sure you're safe and being properly looked after, whether you're in foster care, staying in a resi, in detention, or anything in between. We'll make sure you're getting a fair go.
Now, if you need us to, we'll come and visit you regularly. Plus, you can call us anytime you need some help. You can trust the OPG to help you out whenever you need it. We can help to sort out any issues you're having with where you're living. We'll put you in touch with any support or services you might need. Help you out with advice about allowances and money issues.
Give you a hand sorting out issues with schools, seeing doctors, or if you just need to talk to someone.
Sort out contact issues with family. We can even help you out when it comes to anything official, like dealing with your CSO or other people from the government. We'll be there for you from day one.
Everyone coming into care gets a visit from a CV. And if you need us, we'll be there until you leave.
Now, when it comes to official legal stuff, we can help you with that too. The OPG has a team of Child Advocates. Now, these are lawyers who can make sure your voice is heard, and your opinions are taken into consideration when decisions are made that affect you and your care arrangements.
Whether it's where you're going to live, court hearings and tribunals, family contact arrangements, complaints you might have, or any disputes with schools, carers, or the authorities.
We're not part of the government either. We're an independent body working just for you. These are just a few of the ways we can give you a hand, but there's much more to it too. The easiest way to find out more about how we can help is to check out our website.
It has everything you need to get in touch. We're on Facebook and Twitter, or you can give us a call.
Having a mate on your side is really important, not just when the times are tough.
Who do we visit?
We visit children and young people under 18 years old who are staying in certain places, called visitable sites. These include:
- foster or kinship care homes
- residential care services
- youth detention centres
- police watch houses
- inpatient mental health services
- places providing respite services for child NDIS participants
- some youth shelters and hostels.
If you’re staying in one of these places, you can ask us to visit you.
Visit community visitor for adults for information on our adult community visitor program.
How can we help you?
When we visit, we’ll:
- check that you’re safe and well
- listen to you and make sure you have what you need
- check your accommodation to ensure it’s suitable
- explain your rights
- make sure you’re being heard, especially about decisions that affect you
- help with any concerns you have, such as:
- where you live or changes to your care arrangements
- contact with your family or important people
- decisions about your education, health care, or mental health support
- accessing support services or money
- issues with Child Safety officers, carers or other staff
- legal issues (with help from a child advocate in our office)
- concerns about youth detention (if this applies to you).
If we notice any problems or you tell us about concerns you have, we can:
- work to fix the issue
- speak to your carer, service provider, or Child Safety officer for you
- make a complaint on your behalf
- ask another organisation to help.
We’ll always talk to you in private, so no-one else can hear what you’re saying. It’s okay if you don’t want to talk to us – you don’t have to.
How often will we visit?
We’ll visit you when you first go into care or return to care. After that, how often we visit depends on your situation, so this could be:
- monthly
- every three months
- less often if regular visits aren’t needed.
We prioritise visits to children and young people who are most vulnerable, including those in:
- adult mental health units
- youth detention centres
- police watch houses.
If you’d like us to visit more often, you can always ask.
How can you request a visit?
If you already know one of our community visitors, you can contact them directly to request a visit.
If not, you can:
- call us on 1300 653 187
- text us on 0418 740 186 (this service is only available to children and young people)
- email us at publicguardian@publicguardian.qld.gov.au
- ask your carer, Child Safety officer, or service provider to contact us
- use the unit phone or communication box in a youth detention centre.
Our business hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm, but we can visit you Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
If you want us to stop visiting, just let us know. We’ll respect your decision.
How do we protect your privacy?
We take your privacy seriously. Your personal information is collected, stored, and shared in ways that protect your confidentiality.
Sometimes, we may share your information with our child advocates or others who can help you. If we’re worried that you or another child might not be safe, we must tell Child Safety or the police.
If you have any questions, concerns, or would like to request a visit, please get in touch. We’re here to support you.