News

Maggie Atkinson takes up post as Children’s Commissioner for England

17 March 2010

Dr Maggie Atkinson took up her post as the new Children’s Commissioner for England yesterday, 1 March. Dr Atkinson replaced Sir Al Aynsley-Green who retired at the end of his five-year term of office.

Maggie Atkinson said: "I am delighted to have been appointed as the Children's Commissioner for England. I have worked with children and young people throughout my career and am passionate about improving their lives. It really is a privilege to have been given the opportunity to lead a unique organisation that is the independent, statutory voice of children and young people. I look forward to continuing the organisation’s work to improve children and young people’s lives by making sure that their views and concerns are taken on board by the people who make the decisions that affect them. I also intend to continue to champion children’s rights and safeguard their interests.

"Children and young people’s issues are never out of the media and over the coming months I will be talking to children across the country about the things that are important to them as well as the issues we are working on this year: education; health; the youth justice and asylum systems; how children can best be kept safe; and the way people treat them.

"I intend to build on the organisation’s achievements over the first five years, including its work to encourage people to listen to children and young people when making decisions about them, to improve conditions for children in the asylum system and those with mental health conditions."