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STATES OF JERSEY
APPOINTMENT OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
Lodged au Greffe on 20th November 2023
by the Chief Minister
Earliest date for debate: 16th January 2024
STATES GREFFE
PROPOSITION
THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion
in accordance with the provisions of Article 4 of the Schedule to the Commissioner for Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2019, to approve the recommendation of the Chief Minister and the President of the Scrutiny Liaison Committee to appoint, for a period of 6 years, Dr Carmel Corrigan to the office of Commissioner for Children and Young People.
CHIEF MINISTER
REPORT
Children’s Commissioner Role
The Commissioner for Children and Young People (“the Children’s Commissioner”) promotes and protects children and young people’s rights in Jersey. The Children’s Commissioner works for every child and young person in Jersey who is:
Under the age of 18
Under the age of 25 if they have a disability, have been care experienced or have been involved with the youth justice system
Placed off-island for their care or treatment
The Children’s Commissioner is also part of the British and Irish Network of Children’s Commissioners.
Legislative Framework
The role of the Children’s Commissioner for Jersey was established in response to a recommendation made in the Final Report of the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry (2017)[1].
The Assembly endorsed the Commissioner for Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2019[2] in April 2019 (“the 2019 Law”), which establishes the independence of the role from Government and sets out the key powers and actions of the Children’s Commissioner to protect and promote children’s rights in Jersey.
Interim Arrangements
Following the resignation of the previous Children’s Commissioner earlier in 2022, the Chief Minister and President of the Scrutiny Liaison Committee (SLC) set out the interim arrangements in their Report presented to the States (R.102/2022)[3] on 26th July 2022.
Prior to commencing the recruitment process, the States approved the Commissioner for Children and Young People (Amendment of Law) (Jersey) Regulations 2023, which amended the term of office for the Commissioner from 8 to 6 years and permitted an Acting Commissioner and/or members of the Commissioner’s staff to be appointed to the office of Commissioner.
Recruitment to a Permanent Appointment
The Chair of the Jersey Appointments Commission oversaw the recruitment and selection process. Longlisted candidates completed an initial technical interview with a former Children’s Commissioner for England. Shortlisted candidates undertook an interview with a panel of local children and young people, and a formal panel interview with the Assistant Chief Executive Officer, the Greffier of the States Assembly, the Chief Executive Officer of Every Child Matters, and the former Children’s Commissioner for England. The preferred candidate also met the Chief Minister and the President of the Scrutiny Liaison Committee.
Successful Candidate
Following a comprehensive recruitment process, Dr Carmel Corrigan has been nominated for appointment by the panel, supported by the Chief Minister and the President of the Scrutiny Liaison Committee.
Dr Corrigan is currently the Head of Participation and Rights Education, Ombudsman for Children’s Office, Ireland. In this role Dr Corrigan has worked to embed participation and rights education in government policy making by representing the Ombudsman’s Office at Joint Oireachtas Committees (constituting members from both the Dáil and the Seanad).
Terms of Appointment
Members are asked to support the decision of the independent recruitment process, and the endorsement of the Chief Minister and President of the Scrutiny Liaison Committee and approve the appointment in accordance with Article 4(2) of the Schedule to the 2019 Law.
The appointment is for a single 6-year term as set out in the Article 4 (6) of the Schedule to the 2019 Law. As required by Article 4(3) of the Schedule, the proposition will be debated in camera.
Financial and staffing implications
There are no additional financial and/or manpower implications that would arise from the adoption of this proposition.
The Government of Jersey is required by the Commissioner for Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2019 to provide resources to the Children’s Commissioner’s Office, this includes financial resources and other services.
The role of Children’s Commissioner for Jersey has been evaluated as £134,434. All staff costs, including the Commissioner, are included in the existing allocated budget (2023) of £995,415.
The Children’s Commissioner’s Office publishes an Annual Report which provides a detailed breakdown of activity against its allocated budget.
[3] Children’s Commissioner: Notice of Resignation: 26th July 2022