The Commission for Children and Young People Act 1998 s.28 (1) lists the functions of the Committee. The Parliamentary Joint Committee has the following functions under this Act:

• to monitor and review the exercise by the Commission of its functions;
• to report to both Houses of Parliament, with such comments as it thinks fit, on any matter appertaining to the Commission or connected with the exercise of its functions to which, in the opinion of the Joint Committee, the attention of Parliament should be directed;
• to examine each annual or other report of the Commission and report to both Houses of Parliament on any matter appearing in, or arising out of, any such report;
• to examine trends and changes in services and issues affecting children, and report to both Houses of Parliament any changes that the Joint Committee thinks desirable to the functions and procedures of the Commission;
• to inquire into any question in connection with the Committee's functions which is referred to it by both Houses of Parliament, and report to both Houses on that question.

It is important to note that the Committee on Children and Young People cannot investigate a matter relating to particular conduct (s.28 (2)).