Archive for children’s commissioner
The Children’s Secretary, Ed Balls has announced that has nominated Dr Maggie Atkinson to be the next Children’s Commissioner when Sir Al Aynsley-Green comes to the end of his five year appointment on 28 February 2010.
The Schools and Families Select Committee is expected to formally approve Dr Atkinson’s appointment on Monday.
Dr Atkinson has been Director of Children’s Services in Gateshead since 2003. She was President of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services until March 2008, and is currently chair of the National Expert Group on the Children’s Workforce and national chair for the new Centre of Excellence in Outcomes.
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Clare CurtisThomas’s contribution to parliamentary debate on sex abuse cases – June 2004.
This is a transcript of a debate in the House of Commons in June 2004 in which Clare Curtis Thomas draws attention to false allegations made against carers and teachers … (full article)
Names Can Never Hurt Me: Does Naming Suspects Help Children?
A talk given by Kathleen Marshall Commissioner for Children and Young People in Scotland in Oct 2004. What makes this talk so remarkable is that she is the first children’s commissioner in the UK to acknowledge the existence of false allegation and the impact they have. She does so in ...
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There are 3 excellent articles on the the Children’s Commissioner for Scotland Web site all well worth reading.
Does Naming Suspects Help Children?
28th Apr 2008
The McClintock Lecture 2004, organised by SACRO and presented by Kathleen Marshall, Commissioner for Children and Young People in Scotland
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The Power to Abuse and the Power to Accuse
28th Apr 2008
Delivered to : The Annual Research Collections Lecture hosted by Glasgow Caledonian University and presented by Kathleen Marshall, Scotland’s…
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Allegations against Teachers by Pupils
28th Apr 2008
Children and adults need each other. Children’s rights and adults’ rights do not have to be in conflict. They both fall under ...
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Voice the union for education professionals has backed calls by Scotland’s Children’s Commissioner for anonymity for teachers accused of abuse.
Voice General Secretary Philip Parkin said: “Children need protection, but those who work with them – both teachers and support staff – are entitled to protection too.
“The lives and careers of innocent people have been ruined by false allegations of abuse, even after they have been acquitted of any offence. Being falsely accused and suspended can cause severe personal distress and long-term damage to the accused’s career.
“Splashing someone’s name across the front page of a newspaper because they have been accused ...
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The following report appears by Fiona McLeaod appears in the News Scotsman Teachers accused of abusing pupils must be given anonymity to protect their reputation, according to Scotland’s children’s commissioner.Kathleen Marshall called for all teachers to remain anonymous until they were convicted, in order to protect both them and the children – who could suffer, if adults feared working with them.“The rights of children and adults are not mutually exclusive,” she said.“Children are losing out because meaningful relationships with adults, including teachers, are undermined by fear and suspicion.”She said encouraging normal, trusting relationships was vital and added: “The current climate of fear harms ...
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The following has been reported by BBC ScotlandUp to 40 staff’ abused children As many as 40 care workers abused children at an Ayrshire school for vulnerable youngsters, a report claims. Glasgow City Council spent three years investigating the workings of Kerelaw Residential Unit in Stevenson. The local authority-run establishment, which closed last year, looked after youngsters with significant emotional, social and behavioural problems. It was shut after allegations of abuse came to light in 2004 and a follow-up police investigation. The council has spent the last three years investigating allegations of abuse. Kerelaw was a secure unit which provided ...
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The Children’s Commissioner for England, Sir Al Aynsley-Green, has launched a new five year plan to focus on key issues to improve the lives of England’s 11 million children and young people. The new strategy has been developed in partnership with children and young people and identifies six fundamental areas of concern regarding children’s rights and wellbeing. These are:
Youth justice and anti-social behaviour
Asylum and trafficking
A fair life
Mental health
Enjoying education and leisure
Staying safe.
At the launch event at HM Treasury, Sir Al also unveiled the new brand and name for his office: 11 Million. The Commissioner has called on decision-makers in government, ...
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According to a BBC Scotland report (here) the Children’s Commissioner, Professor Marshall said adults were now afraid to interact with children Adults are scared of working with youngsters because of strict child protection rules, MSPs were told.
The children’s commissioner told Holyrood’s education committee that the measures were taking an “absolutely ridiculous” toll on adults.
Professor Kathleen Marshall urged MSPs to address the issue, which she said risks leaving children neglected.
The measures are contained in legislation drawn up in the wake of the Soham murders.
Under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups Bill, a single agency will be formed to support a new vetting and ...
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Men are being advised not to approach lost children in the street because of fears they could be branded as child abusers. The warning comes as more towns and cities in Wales are signing up to schemes which give guidelines on dealing with a lost child – something that was second nature a generation ago. But today many adults, especially men, are reluctant to take a lost child to a person in authority in case their action is misconstrued as attempted child abduction.And last night Eira Huws, a community safety officer who is helping set up advice schemes in North ...
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An article by Ciaran McGuigan in Northern Ireland’s Sunday Life is critical of remarks made by the Children’s Commissioner concerning controversial remarks made during the bitter Laurelhill Community College dispute. The article says:Children’s champion rapped over remarksBy Ciaran McGuigan 16 July 2006 The Children’s Commissioner has been warned about public statements his office issues following an Ombudsman probe into controversial remarks made during the bitter Laurelhill Community College dispute.The remarks made at the time by former Children’s Commissioner, the late Nigel Williams, related to allegations of assault made against the teacher at the heart of the row, David Bell.Following a complaint ...
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Speculation is mounting that Esther Rantzen, the TV personality and president of charity ChildLine, is being considered for the post of children’s commissioner for England.She is believed to have made the final cut because the Government is keen to appoint a high-profile candidate to the post.Education secretary Ruth Kelly has been given two names from a shortlist of six and the Government plans to make an announcement in the next week. It is understood that the shortlist comprised two journalists and four people from the voluntary sector.One of the frontrunners was Labour MP Hilton Dawson. It is believed he did ...
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The Clywch Inquiry might just have well be subtitled ‘A Little Local Difficulty’ for all the impact it made in England. The report by Children’s Commissioner Peter Clarke received some advance publicity on television and radio but sank without a trace after its publication. Political Editor Kirsty Buchanan asks why the lessons of the inquiry may only be heeded on one side of the borderIN Wales Peter Clarke’s report into the child abuse scandal surrounding former drama teacher John Owen dominated the news this week.The 280-page document attracted acres of publicity, some controversy and a great deal of praise.In England ...
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The response of the authorities to allegations of sexual abuse by a teacher and television dramatist was so poor as to constitute a cover-up, according to a report out today.One official, David Matthews, failed in his duty of care so badly that he may have committed a criminal offence, Welsh Children’s Commissioner Peter Clarke said.Mr Clarke today published his long-awaited report, Clywch (Listen), into the activities of John Owen, a teacher at Rhydfelen school in Pontypridd, south Wales, between 1975 and 1991.Mr Owen, who went on to became a successful TV dramatist, killed himself in 2001, aged 47, the day ...
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The Clywch Examination was the first Inquiry held in accordance with the Children’s Commissioner for Wales’ powers as set out in the Care Standards Act 2000, the Children’s Commissioner for Wales Act 2001 and the regulations made under those acts. The broad purpose of the Inquiry was to undertake a fair and thorough examination of allegations of child sexual abuse in a school setting and to make recommendations to safeguard and promote the rights and welfare of children. The final report and recommendations arising from the Examination can be downloaded …
Clwych
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