Reports

The Things That Matter 6 (2025)

This sixth report from the Commissioner’s Student Voice Postcards initiative reflects responses from the 17,533 South Australian primary school students who participated in 2024.

Children aged 8-12 told the Commissioner about the value they place in play, their love of nature and creativity, and their desire for more kindness in their communities. They also shared how much they care about their friends, families and animals – and the joy that spending time with them brings.

Above all, South Australian children want to be heard, and to have their diverse experiences and views recognised and valued.

Early Years Postcards 2 (2025)

This is the second year of the Early Years Postcards initiative for preschool children aged 3-5. A total of 156 postcards were received from attendees of eight preschools and childcare centres across South Australia. Most of the children who participated were 4 years of age. This mini report summarises what preschoolers shared was their favourite thing about being outside.

The Things That Matter 5 (2024)

This fifth report from the Commissioner’s Student Voice Postcards initiative reflects responses from 18,328 South Australian children who completed postcards in 2023 – up from 16,007 in 2022. Children told their Commissioner they want more time with the parents, more time to play and more trust. 

The also said they love playing and having fun together outdoors. They want more playgrounds and opportunities for physical activity and sport, both in their local community and at school, and they want more time with their parents. They also want to be listened to and taken seriously by grownups, and they want all people to value kindness more. They need school to be more engaging and relevant to their lives, and they appreciate not having adult responsibilities so they can just be kids.

Early Years Postcards (2024)

In 2023, the Commissioner extended the Postcards initiative to be inclusive of children aged 3-5. The newly created Early Years Postcards initiative asked preschoolers to draw a picture of their favourite places and, with support from early childhood educators, describe why it was their favourite. This report summarises what they drew and described.

The Things That Matter 4 (2023)

This fourth report from Student Voice Postcards reflects responses from 16,007 South Australian children who completed postcards in 2022. Children told the Commissioner about how much value they place on taking care of the environment and animals, kindness and equality, friends, and their families – especially parents. They also wrote that they want grownups to recognise kids’ varied experiences with school and technology, with many expressing a desire for adults to understand how digital tools are essential for 21st century children. Overall, children’s responses highlighted that most have enjoyment or fun in their lives, and how important that is for them.

The Things That Matter 3 (2022)

This third report in the Student Voice Postcards series reflects responses from 13,868 South Australian children who completed postcards in 2021. Children told their Commissioner about the importance of family and friends, as well as how much pride they take in being kind and caring and in looking after people, the environment, and animals. They also said they enjoy making people laugh, and that they wanted adults to know they ‘have their back’, and that whilst it may not always be obvious, they love and appreciate all that adults do for them.

The Things That Matter 2 (2021)

This second report reflects responses from 8,379 South Australian children who completed postcards in 2020 – a year like no other. Children value their freedom to play, have fun, and be active and creative. They recognise this will change as they get older and take on ‘adults responsibilities’ working, providing for others, and paying bills and taxes. Children want everyone, no matter where they live and who they are, to have a home, a voice, kind friends and family, a good education, a rewarding job, and enough money to afford healthcare, food, transport, education and housing. While many want to travel, others have aspirations closely tied to their home region. Children care about and are affected by issues both on a local and global scale. Helping animals and the environment is just as important as helping other people.

The Things That Matter (2020)

The first report reflects responses from 8,429 South Australian children who completed postcards in 2019 – the inaugural year of the initiative. It reveals that above all children value kindness, fairness and equality in leaders, along with doing the right thing and ensuring ‘everyone’ regardless of age or background, can afford healthcare, education, housing and transport. While most children are doing well, almost all children wrote about something they would like to see changed in their own community, school, and family, or in the world. Children want to learn, play, do well and lead happy, healthy, active, and creative lives. They want this for all other people, as well as for themselves.