ACYP Team

Participation in Practice

Collaborating with children, valuing their perspectives, and upholding their rights to influence decisions that impact them are crucial elements in the creation of meaningful OOSH programs. By actively listening to children, educators can develop programs that align with children’s innate curiosity and desire for exploration. Documenting and acknowledging the child’s input is a routine practice. Consulting with children should not be limited to isolated instances but should be woven into every aspect of an educator’s work, sometimes even before it is formally documented. This commitment is evident in educators’ genuine interest in understanding children’s thoughts and emotions through consistent engagement.

Sophia Finlay Melville

is a Participation Manager with the Office of the Advocate for Children and Young people. Sophia has over eleven years’ experience working in the public sector across social policy issues including refugee resettlement, child protection, mental health and the Brighter Beginnings: the first 2000 days of life whole-of-government reform. Sophia now has the privilege to lead the team that undertake consultations with children and young people, aged 0 – 24 years, on issues that matter to them and advocate for systemic change.

Freija Brandie

is a Senior Participation Advisor with the Office of the Advocate for Children and Young people. Freija has over 8 years’ experience in child protection and out of home care (OOHC) practice and policy development and training. Freija is passionate about promoting the voices of children and young people in social policy. She has extensive experience in youth consultation and program coordination, supporting young people with lived expertise to participate in the child protection and OOHC practice and policy improvement.

Betty Nguyen

(she/her) is the Participation Officer at the Office of the Advocate for Children and Young People. Betty is a passionate advocate and ally for children and young people in NSW and was awarded the Young Woman of the Year Award in 2022 by Western Sydney Women. She has 8 years of experience working with children and young people in the research, health, legal, youth and government sectors.

Renee Arringer

(she/her) is a Senior Youth Specialist with the Office of the Advocate for Children and Young People, working in the Recovery Youth Support Service in the Northern Rivers NSW. Renee has worked with children and young people for over 10 years in a range of settings including schools, regional and remote communities, and children’s birthday parties. With a background in science and art, Renee is passionate about providing creative and educational opportunities for children with adverse and diverse life experiences.