Hi there! This is a



space to help you
Contact Us
If your life or someone else’s life is in immediate danger, call 000.
If you are in care and need urgent support when our Office and DCP offices are closed, call DCP After Hours on 13 16 11.
Leave us a message
Get involved
If you are interested in getting involved in one of our upcoming community Youth Engagement events with the Office, please contact us here.
Call us on
1800 275 664
Common questions about our Office
What is an Advocate?
An Advocate is someone who helps others by speaking up for them and supporting them. An Advocate can help if there is a problem that you or adults in your life haven’t been able to solve.
What are some of the reasons kids call you?
Kids call us for many different reasons. They might feel unsafe in the place they’re living or like they don’t belong. They may want to see their family, friends and loved ones more. They might not feel supported to follow their dreams. There might have been a decision that they didn’t agree with, or they might be worried about the future. These are all real worries that our Advocates can support you through.
Can Advocates visit my placement?Â
If you would like to talk with an Advocate face-to-face, they might be able to visit you at school, your placement, somewhere in the community, or at our office. An Advocate will talk to you about how you’d like to connect.Â
I’m going to attend a meeting with my social workers soon, but nervous about going on my own. Can an Advocate come with me?
Yes, they can. If you feel you need some help to meet with DCP, an Advocate can support you. Depending on where you live, an Advocate might be able to go to the meeting with you face-to-face, or attend by phone or video call. Â
Can I call you at any time of day?
Our Advocates take calls Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. If you leave us an email outside these hours, we will get back to you as soon as we’re back in the office. If it’s an emergency, contact 000. If you are in care and need urgent support when our Office and DCP offices are closed, call DCP After Hours on 13 16 11. If you need mental health support, call Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), Lifeline (13 11 14) or 13yarn (13 92 76).
How can an Advocate help and support me?
We listen to your worries and what you want to change. We can talk about the different possibilities to make things better. We plan with you how these changes could be achieved. We help your voice and wishes be heard by people like your social worker or others in charge. This might mean we attend a meeting with you and your social worker, we talk to staff at the department for child protection or contact places that might be able to help you.Â
Can I meet with an Advocate in person?
For sure. You’re welcome to visit our office or meet with an Advocate, but it’s best to call us first so we can make sure there’s someone available to talk to you.Â
Are you part of DCP?
No. Our office is separate from the Department for Child Protection and Minister for Child Protection. This means we can give them honest feedback on what needs to change in the child protection system.Â
Can I trust an Advocate with the information I share?
Definitely. We will follow your wishes when you tell us who you want to share your worries with. But if we’re worried about your safety or the safety of others, we might need to tell other people because your wellbeing is super important to us.Â
Can I talk to an Aboriginal Advocate?
Of course. We have Aboriginal Advocates who would be happy to speak to you. Ask to speak to an Aboriginal Advocate when you give us as call.
If you’ve read the Common Questions and still need an answer, contact us;
By Phone:Â 08 8226 8570

By Email: [email protected]

By Mail: Office of the Guardian for Children and Young People

Kaurna Country

GPO Box 2281, Adelaide SA 5001
Reporting child abuse and neglect
If you are an adult and you want to report suspected child abuse or neglect, you need to call the Child Abuse Report Line (CARL) on 13 14 78. We cannot respond to or investigate these allegations.Â
Office location
Office of the Guardian for 
Children and Young People

Kaurna Country

Level 3, 111 Gawler Place

Adelaide SA 5000
Open Monday to Friday, 9am—5pm
Lodge A Complaint
If you have an issue with the way the Office of the Guardian has managed its relationship with you, we want to resolve it quickly and respectfully. We value your right to make a complaint and to help you.
You can make complaints in person, by phone or in writing. The complaint may come directly from you, from an agency or from someone advocating for you.
What will happen to your complaint?
If possible, raise your issue with the staff member who has been involved in the matter. They will try to resolve it on the spot, which is often the quickest way.
If you do not want to discuss it with the staff member concerned or you are not satisfied with the outcome, you can call us on 8226 8570 and one of our staff will help you put your complaint in writing. Alternatively you can email your complaint to [email protected].
After you have made your complaint, the Guardian/Training Centre Visitor will arrange to meet with you. You are welcome to have a friend or supporter present at the meeting if you wish.
What can you do if you are unhappy with the proposed outcome?
If you are unhappy with the decision of the Guardian/Training Centre Visitor or if the complaint is about the Guardian/Training Centre Visitor, you may wish to contact:
Support in other states
If you are in care or youth detention, but not living in South Australia, there are similar offices like ours that you can contact.
Australian Capital Territory

Children and Young People Commissioner

Phone:Â 02 6205 2222
Queensland

Queensland Family & Child Commission

Phone:Â 07 3900 6000
New South Wales

Office of the Advocate for Children and Young People

Phone: 02 9248 0970
Northern Territory

Office of The Children’s Commissioner

Phone: 08 8999 6076
Tasmania

Child Advocate – children in care

Phone:Â 1800 549 725
Victoria

Commission for Children and Young People

Phone:Â 1300 782 978
Western Australia

Advocate for Children in Care 

Phone:Â 1800 460 696
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Subscribe to receive monthly updates on current issues and news affecting children and young people in care and detention.
