The Office of the Childrens Commissioner for England

1
The Office of the Childrens Commissioner for
England

• The Commissioners Role
• Children in Care
• Presentation to ICHA Annual Conference
• University of Warwick
• 26th September 2006

2
Who? What? Where?
3
This Presentation Will

• Explain the role of Childrens Commissioner for
  England
• Explain the way his Office works
• Describe our involvement and positions on Looked
  after Children

4
Background

• 31 European countries have commissioners
• First (Norway) was established in 1981
• Most established in 1980s and 1990s
• Separate and staggered development in UK
• Wales 2001 (Waterhouse Inquiry into abuse in
  North Wales)
• N Ireland 2003
• Scotland 2004
• ENGLAND 2004 (Children Act 2004)

5
Role

• Promote awareness of the views and interests of
  children in England
• All children
• Plus Care Leavers YP with Learning Difficulties
  (18-20)
• In considering their views and interests he must
  have particular regard to their well-being as
  described by the 5 ECM outcome areas
• In considering what constitutes their interests,
  he must have regard to the UNCRC

6
Mission 2006

• To be the voice for all children and young
  people in England. We will use our independence
  and dedication to look after the interests of
  children and young people in matters that affect
  them. We will protect and improve their lives by
  working with and influencing society, the media,
  parents carers, politicians and those who work
  with children and young people. We will promote
  debate on the changing world children live in.

7
Powers

• Advocacy Persuasion a Childrens Champion
• Encourage
• Advise
• Consider
• Publish
• Formally Inquire
• A Champion with Significant Powers
• Require information from relevant services
• Enter any premises where children are
  accommodated or cared for (except private homes)
  interview children
• Submit annual report to Parliament
• Require any person exercising relevant functions
  to respond formally to recommendations in his
  published reports

8
So were not

• An inspectorate
• A watchdog
• A standards agency
• A regulator
• A co-ordinator of local Childrens Commissioners
• A complaints service
• but can review complaints procedures

9
How We Work

• Key criteria include
• the added value of any intervention
• The relevance to ECM outcomes
• 8 Key Areas
• Children Young People in Society
• Tackling Discrimination
• Youth justice anti-social behaviour
• Bullying
• Asylum seeking children immigration
• Disabled children young people
• Health and well-being of children young people
• Vulnerable children

10
Looked After Children

• Welcome renewed attention to LAC and their poor
  outcomes
• Realise that legislative change is only part of
  the solution
• Need coherence, quality, long termism

11
Priorities

• Education
• Support encourage YP to achieve their
  individual educational potential
• Targets need to be sensitive to range of
  abilities and the potential of each individual
  child
• Diversity of Need e.g.
• Children with disabilities advocacy
• LAC and criminal justice system
• Unaccompanied minors and community support
• Kinship care

12

• Wellbeing
• Healthy Care Programme
• Mental health support outside of CAMHS
• Child-Centred Targets
• Children YP must be involved in devising these
• Relatively few (enough?) targets for Care Leavers

13

• Placement Suitability Stability
• Choice for children
• Range of provision
• Specialist provision