Nursery World - Commissioner has 'weakest' role in UK

England's first children's commissioner has received a warm welcome from children's rights advocates, but they remain concerned that the Government's job specification for him is the 'weakest in the UK'. Professor Al Aynsley-Green, the Government's former health tsar, was appointed to the 100,000-a-year post last week. He will take on his new duties immediately and start full-time in July when he leaves his post of national clinical director for children at the Department of Health.

Professor Al Aynsley-Green, the Government's former health tsar, was appointed to the 100,000-a-year post last week. He will take on his new duties immediately and start full-time in July when he leaves his post of national clinical director for children at the Department of Health.

His role will be to act as an independent voice for children and young people, to champion their interests and to bring their concerns and views to the national arena.

Unlike the commissioners in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, who have the general function of 'safeguarding and promoting the rights and interests of children', Professor Aynsley-Green's function is to 'promote awareness of the views and interests of children in England'.

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