It's okay to speak up!
Have you ever felt like something was not fair, or that someone was doing something wrong? Maybe you saw something that made you feel sad, angry, or even a little bit scared?
It is totally okay to talk about these things! When you tell a trusted adult about something that is bothering you, it is called making a complaint.
You can download this information in
It's Okay to Speak Up guide (PDF 157 KB).
Why is it good to make a complaint?
- It helps make things better! When you speak up, others can learn what is going wrong and fix it. This helps you and other people feel safer and happier.
- It shows you are brave! It takes courage to talk about difficult things. By speaking up, you are showing how strong you are.
- Your feelings matter! If something is making you feel upset, it is important to share those feelings. Other people should care about how you feel.
- It keeps you safe. Sometimes, other people do not know if something unsafe is happening. Your complaint can help keep you and other people safe.
How can you make a complaint?
It is actually pretty simple! Here are some steps you can take:
1. Find an adult you trust.
This could be:
- Your parents or guardian
- A grandparent
- A teacher
- A school counsellor
- Another trusted family member or adult friend
2. Choose a good time to talk.
Sometimes it is hard to talk when lots of other things are happening. Try to find a quiet moment when the adult can listen carefully.
3. Use your words or other ways you communicate.
In whatever way works best for you, let them know what happened and how you feel. You might want to start with:
- "Something happened that made me feel sad."
- "I need to tell you about something I saw."
- "I am worried about something."
- "I don't think that was fair."
4. Try to be clear about what happened.
Try to explain:
- Who was involved?
- What happened?
- When did it happen?
- Where did it happen?
- How did it make you feel?
Example: "At lunchtime today, Ethan pushed me on the playground, and it made me feel really angry."
5. It is okay to ask for help.
If you are not sure how to do this let the adult know that.
6. Keep trying.
If the adult can not help right away, or you do not feel heard, keep trying or try talking to another trusted adult until you get the help you need.
My Next Steps Plan
Completing a next steps plan helps you explain what happened and how it made you feel. It also helps with planning what you want to happen next. You can complete it yourself or you can get help from a trusted adult.
Download and complete the
My Next Steps Plan (PDF 110 KB)
Caregiver Information
Download this information in
My Next Steps Plan Parent Prompts (PDF 127 KB)
My Next Steps Plan – Parent Prompts
Choose a quiet time
When your young person is relaxed and you have the time to work on this together.
Support your young person to share their ideas and think this through
Even if they want to complete the plan themselves, by offering your support you can help them get to the best outcome.
Support your young person to communicate in a way that is comfortable for them
Some young people may talk, some may show you with facial expressions, pointing, visuals or drawing, etc.
You do not need to complete all the questions
The plan is there to support thinking about what happened and help plan for the best next steps. If a question does not seem to fit with their situation, it is fine to leave it out.
Support with ideas
Some young people will have lots of ideas about what could be different, and others may need some suggestions to help them. If you suggest ideas, try and come up with a few different options. This helps your young person think about different outcomes and which might be most helpful for them.
Suggestions that may not be possible
It is important to listen to all the ideas your young person has for addressing the issue, even if they may seem impossible. Being curious about how different ideas may help can turn something that seems impossible into an approach that can actually happen.
Where an idea is not possible, let your young person know that you understand that this is what they would like to happen and share the reason why it is not possible. Then try to explore ‘what else’ may be work.
Reviewing changes
The front page is for thinking about the issue and planning a response. On the other page there is space to say what actions happened, and to think about whether this made a difference or whether more needs to be done.
This helps young people see the impact of the actions and shows that ideas can be tried but it may not be the first idea that completely fixes the issue.
Young people have rights just like grown ups
Read on to find out about your rights and why they are important.