What does it truly mean to centre Aboriginal children’s voices in systems of care and detention?
In her independent statutory roles, Shona Reid meets children who speak with clarity about what matters: dignity, fairness, cultural connection and being seen as more than the harm they have experienced. Yet too often, participation processes fail to shift power or restore balance.
This keynote draws on lived experience insights and First Nations perspectives on relational governance to explore how cultural conscience must sit alongside child-centred practice. Participants will be invited to reflect on the ethical responsibilities that accompany institutional authority and to consider practical shifts that move participation from symbolic to transformative.
