The Children's Commissioner for Wales is responsible for protecting children's rights as set out in the
Convention on the Rights of the Child
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (commonly abbreviated as the CRC or UNCRC) is an international human rights treaty which sets out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children. The Co ...
.
Peter Clarke was the Commissioner from its introduction in 2001 until his death in 2007. The
job interview
A job interview is an interview consisting of a conversation between a job applicant and a representative of an employer which is conducted to assess whether the applicant should be hired. Interviews are one of the most popularly used devices for ...
process was notable for including children as panelists alongside adults.
Keith Towler
The Children's Commissioner for Wales is responsible for protecting children's rights as set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Peter Clarke was the Commissioner from its introduction in 2001 until his death in 2007. The job int ...
was Wales' second Children's Commissioner between 2008 and 2015. Prof Sally Holland was Children's Commissioner between 2015 and 2022.
The current Children's Commissioner for Wales is
Rocío Cifuentes, who took up her post in April 2022.
The post, equivalent to the
Children's Ombudsman A children's ombudsman, children's commissioner, youth commissioner, child advocate, children's commission, youth ombudsman or equivalent body is a public authority in various countries charged with the protection and promotion of the rights of chil ...
agencies of many other countries, was established following a decade-long campaign by children's organisations in Wales. In 2000, Sir Ronald Waterhouse published the report of his inquiry into
abuse
Abuse is the improper usage or treatment of a thing, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, unjust practices, crimes, or other t ...
in children's homes in north Wales, and recommended the creation of a Children's Commissioner post to prevent such scandals in the future. The
UK Parliament
The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative suprem ...
subsequently passed the necessary legislation for the position to be established (the Children's Commissioner for Wales Act 2001).
The Children's Commissioner has a team of staff based in Port Talbot.
Commissioners
*
Peter Clarke (2001 to 2007)
*
Keith Towler
The Children's Commissioner for Wales is responsible for protecting children's rights as set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Peter Clarke was the Commissioner from its introduction in 2001 until his death in 2007. The job int ...
(2008 to 2015)
*
Sally Holland (2015 to 2022)
*
Rocío Cifuentes (2022 to present)
See also
*
Children's Commissioner for England
The Office of the Children's Commissioner for England is a non-departmental public body in England responsible for promoting and protecting the rights of children as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well ...
*
Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People
The Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY) is a publicly funded post, with responsibility for protecting children's rights as set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Nigel Williams was the Commissioner fr ...
*
Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People
The Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland is a post in Scotland whose main task is to promote and safeguard the rights of children and young people. The position, equivalent to the Children's Ombudsman agencies of many other countrie ...
*
Timeline of children's rights in the United Kingdom
References
External links
Children's Commissioner for Wales
{{Authority control
Government of Wales
Ombudsmen in Wales
Children's rights authorities
Children's rights in Wales
2001 establishments in Wales
Government agencies established in 2001
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...