Nursery World - Commissioner is diluted to 'rights-lite'

Children's rights advocates have criticised the Government for diluting the independent powers of England's new children's commissioner. A vote in the House of Lords last week decided that the role of the proposed children's commissioner would not have the same 'rights brief' as existing commissioners in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

A vote in the House of Lords last week decided that the role of the proposed children's commissioner would not have the same 'rights brief' as existing commissioners in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The green paper Every Child Matters states the commissioner would act as 'a children's champion independent of Government'.

But during the Commons committee stage of the Children's Bill, which took place during October, children's minister Margaret Hodge deleted five references to safeguarding children's rights in the English 'job description' and replaced them with 'promoting awareness of the views and interests of children'.

The Children's Rights Alliance for England (CRAE), made up of more than 130 children's and young people's organisations which back a rights-based approach, accused Ms Hodge of 'watering down' the proposals and 'breaking her promise' to safeguard children's rights.

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