Can a Childrens Commissioner make a difference

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Can a Childrens Commissioner make a difference?
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• What is a Childrens Commissioner?
• Independent Human Rights
• ENOC

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• Independence
• Legislative Framework
• Goodwill
• Resources
• Scale
• Practice

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Legislative Framework

• UNCRC
• Complaints Whistleblowing and advocacy
  arrangements Impact of function
• Public Inquiry- High Court Power of Entry
• Children up to 18/25 retrospective
• Advice to any person
• Individual cases Financial Assistance
  Investigation
• Participation

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Limitations of Commissioners Powers

• Restricted to non-devolved matters,
  i.e.everything except youth justice, asylum,
  police, immigration, benefits and defenceIs or
  has been subject to Legal Proceedings

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Reviews/Reports

• Children Dont Complain- (Education)
• Telling Concerns (Social Services)
• Unofficial Exclusions from school
• Someone to listen Something to Do
• CAMHS Review
• Clywch Report We are only School Children
• Annual Reports x 6
• Practice Guides x 3
• Lifting the Lid on the nations School Toilets
• As long as I get there safe - school transport

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Did they make a difference?

• Advocacy frameworkNational freephone number
• Education - guidance states practice unlawful
• Childrens right of appeal against exclusion
• Child Poverty Task group Action Plan
• Extra funding for CAMHS
• SOTODO piloted now

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Examinations

• Examine cases of particular children if he
  considers the cases raise questions of principle
  and if he has taken into account whether the
  issues have or should be formally considered by
  others.
• Sets Terms of Reference
• Published in full
• Same powers as High Court
• Attendance and examination of witness
• Administration of oaths
• Provision of information
• Contempt of Court

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Clywch - HearDid it make a difference?

• Independent Investigation Service
• School based counselling
• Childrens complaints procedure
• Regulations Performance
• Teacher training
• Child protection procedures exam boards/media
• Guidance on teaching drama/chaperone register
• Child protection co-ordinators LEA
• Whistleblowing procedures in schools

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Individual Children

• Multi-disciplinary advice and support team which
  is solution focussed
• 90 resolution, 5 partial resolution-500 per
  annum
• Investigation/Review of individual cases
• Freephone number/text for children
• Team of volunteers

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Advice and Support Service
Education Social Services Special
Educational Needs Health services
Environment Transport Family law Child
abuse Bullying Child in Need
Childrens Rights Child
Protection Sexually harmful behaviour
Youth Offending Disability
Rights Child Abduction
Access to files Benefits/CSA
Youth Service Witness Support
Housing
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Does it make a Difference?

• Asylum and Immigration
• Baby G A and M Legacy cases Review of
  education Childcare Facilities in immigration
  reception centres in
• Wales
• Review of UNCRC Reservation

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• Education
• Unofficial Exclusions - M aged 11
• Bullying - J aged 15
• Special Educational Needs
• Transport

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• Social Services
• Children in need- L family
• Looked after- J aged 12 removal order
• inappropriate
  placement
• LAC health care- M aged 13 funding
• Homelessness - P aged 17

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• Health
• Eating Disorder - Y aged 17
• Adult Mental Health Ward- Pushed into the
  Shadows report
• Continuing Care - C aged 12
• CAMHS Review
• Suicide Prevention Action Plan

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Goodwill/ Resources

• Cross Party Support- Lost in Care
• Childrens Minister -Jane Hutt
• Childrens Cabinet Sub Committee- cross cutting
• Children and Young Persons Committee
• All Party Committee on children
• National Policy Framework for children Rights
  into Action based on UNCRC
• Increased funding from 700,00- 1.8m
• Media support
• Not NDPB

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Next 7 years

• Powers of the Commissioner
• Strategies to make a real difference in practice
• Thematic work programme to make the greatest
  impact on greatest number of children
• ReviewsPlay and Leisure for Children With
  DisabilityThematic Bullying ReviewTrafficked
  childrenYoung carers led by Young Carers3 year
  external evaluation

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• All reports are available from the Childrens
  Commissioner for Wales website.
• In English
• www.childcomwales.org.uk
• In Welsh
• www.complantcymru.org.uk

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References

• UNCRC
• www.unicef.org.uk/tz/rights/convention.asp
• Childrens Commissioner for Wales Legislative
  Base
• Care Standards Act 2000
• Childrens Commissioner for Wales Act 2001
• Childrens Commissioner for Wales Regulations
  2001

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Other Commissioners

• European Network of Ombudsmen for Children (ENOC)
  www.ombudsnet.org
• British and Irish Network of Ombudsmen and
  Childrens Commissioners (BINOCC)
  www.binocc.orgWaleswww.childcomwales.org.uk
• Northern Ireland www.niccy.org
• Scotlandwww.sccyp.org.uk
• Ireland www.oco.ie
• Englandwww.childrenscommissioner.org

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Contact Details

• Offices of the Childrens Commissioner for Wales
• Swansea and Colwyn Bay
• 01792 765600 or 01492 523333
• Freephone 0808 801 1000
• E-mail post_at_childcomwales.org.uk
• Web www.childcomwales.org.uk

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Have we made a difference?

• Encouraging Start - room for improvement