Where to get help

If you’re concerned about the wellbeing of a child or young person and you’d like some support or advice, check the list of groups below to find the right people to help you. If you’re still not sure, get in touch with the CCYP team so we can point in you in the right direction.

In the case of an emergency, where you or another person is in immediate danger and police or medical assistance is required, dial the emergency line immediately on 000. To report a crime, call Tasmania Police on 131 444.

Kids Helpline

Private and confidential 24/7 phone and online counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25. Any time. Any reason.

Phone: 1800 55 1800

Kids Helpline website

Lifeline

Phone: 13 11 14

Headspace

Helps young people with mental health, physical health (including sexual health) alcohol and other drug services, and work and study support

Phone: 1800 650 890

Headspace website

Mental Health Services Helpline

24/7 helpline for any mental health needs for you or if you have concerns about a child or other person; can connect you to mental health services as well.

Phone: 1800 332 388

Beyond Blue

Provides information and support for anxiety, depression and suicide prevention for everyone in Australia

Phone: 1300 224 636

Beyond Blue website

The Link

The Link provides free and confidential health and wellbeing services for young people aged 12-25.

Phone: (03) 6231 2927

The Link website

Pulse Youth Health – South

Provides free health services to young people aged 12 – 24  in the whole southern region of Tasmania. It includes counselling and referral.

Phone: (03) 6166 1421

Pulse Youth Health – South

Youth Health Team – North-West

Provides free and confidential youth health services for young people aged 12 – 24 years, including individual counselling.

Mobile: 0400 333 608

Youth Health Team – North-West

Youth Health Program – North

Provides free and confidential youth health services for young people aged 12 – 24 years, including individual counselling.

Phone: (03) 6777 4422

Youth Health Program – North

Alcohol and Drug Service

Free and confidential programs and treatment to help with alcohol, tobacco and other drug issues. Available to young people and adults.

Phone: 1800 811 994

Holyoake

Counselling and education service if your life is affected by your own or another person’s alcohol, drugs, gambling or other addictive behaviours.

Phone: (03) 6224 1777

Sexual Assault Support Service

A 24/7 free and confidential 24 hour crisis response and information/support service for people of all ages who have been affected by any form of sexual violence – whether now or in the past. Also includes help for family members, friends, and other support people of survivors.

Phone: 1800 697 877

SASS website

Laurel House

A not-for-profit, community-based sexual assault support service that operates across the North, North-East and North-West Tasmania. They provide a 24/7 support hotline, free counselling, training and education.

Northern Tasmania:
(03) 6334 2740

North West Tasmania:
(03) 6431 9711

24/7 Support line Statewide:
1800 MYSUPPORT (1800 697 877)

Laurel House Website

Tasmania Legal Aid

Everyone can receive free legal advice from Tasmania Legal Aid.

Phone: 1300 366 611

Tasmania Legal Aid

Tasmanian Aboriginal Legal Service

Free legal help for members of the Aboriginal communities.

Phone: 1800 595 162

Email: tals@tals.net.au

Tasmanian Aboriginal Legal Service website

Girls Gotta Know

Legal information for young women

Girls Gotta Know website

Guys Gotta Know

Legal information for young men

Guys Gotta Know website

Youth Law Australia

Provides free, confidential legal information, help and referrals for young people under 25.

Youth Law Australia website

Strong Families Safe Kids Advice and Referral Line

If you have concerns for the safety or welfare of any child or young person.

Phone: 1800 000 123

Family Violence Counselling and Support Service (FVCSS)

Information, counselling and support for children, young people and adults affected by family violence.

Phone: 1800 608 122

Housing Connect

A 24/7 one stop shop for all your housing and support needs including emergency housing.

Phone: 1800 800 588

Working It Out

Tasmania’s gender, sexuality and intersex status support and education service.

Phone: (03) 6231 1200

Working It Out wesbite

Equal Opportunity Tasmania (EOT)

EOT works to stop discrimination in Tasmania and helps people make complaints about discrimination (including discrimination based on gender but also on other things like race or religion).

Phone: 1300 305 062

Text: 0409 401 083

Equal Opportunity Tas website

The National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline

A telephone service for reporting the abuse or neglect of people with disability.

Phone: 1800 880 052

If you are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment, call the National Relay Service (NRS) on 1800 555 677 then ask for 1800 880 052.

Email: hotline@workfocus.com

SpeakOut Tasmania

Supports people with disability and provides individual advocacy.

Hobart: (03) 6231 2344

Burnie: (03) 6431 9333

Launceston: (03) 6343 2022

Email: admin@speakoutadvocacy.org

National Disability Insurance Scheme

Phone: 1800 800 110

Disability Legal Service

Launceston Community Legal Centre provides free legal advice for disability discrimination.

Phone: (03) 6334 1577

Toll free call: 1800 066 019

Email: admin@lclc.net.au

Disability Legal Service website

CREATE Foundation

Provides support to children and young people in all types of out-of-home care – whether that is foster care, kinship care or residential care – and those with experience of being in care.

Phone: 1800 655 105

CREATE website

Child Advocate for children in care

Support for children or young people in foster, kinship and residential care in Tasmania who are concerned about their safety, decisions made concerning them or they have complaints about their child safety officer or their bosses. The child or young person can contact the Tasmanian Child Advocate for children in care.

Mobile: 0419 970 181,

Phone (03) 6165 6945

Free call: 1800 549 725

Email child.advocate@communities.tas.gov.au.

Child Advocate website

Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania

Support for people from multicultural and refugee backgrounds. Includes targeted services for children and young people up to 25 years of age through Multicultural Youth Tasmania (MYT).

Phone: (03) 6221 0999

MRC Tas website

eSafety Commissioner

The Office of the Children’s eSafety Commissioner protects Australian children when they experience cyberbullying by administering a complaints scheme. It also deals with complaints about banned online content.

eSafety website

Commissioner for Children and Young People and the Advocate for Young People in Detention

One of the CCYP’s specific functions is to advocate for children and young people who are detained under the Youth Justice Act 1997.

Children and young people detained at Ashley Youth Detention Centre or elsewhere under the Act can contact the Commissioner directly with concerns they have in relation to their care while in detention.

The Advocate for Young People in Detention works regularly at AYDC, including out of hours and weekends where required, to assist the Commissioner in providing additional advocacy services. The Commissioner visits AYDC regularly.

Phone: (03) 6166 1366

Email: childcomm@childcomm.tas.gov.au

If you wish to make a complaint about the treatment of a young person in detention, you may also contact the Tasmanian Ombudsman.

Please refer to our complaints page for further details: How to make a complaint.

Call the CCYP office on (03) 6166 1366 or email us at childcomm@childcomm.tas.gov.au