A report published on the 21st of May by a committee set up by the Parliament’s corporate body to review all publicly supported appointments concluded that Scotland should retain an independent Children’s Commissioner. The committee had been considering a recommendation to amalgamate the office of the children’s commissioner with the new Scottish Human rights commission, something which Aberlour in collaboration with other organisations throughout the children and young peoples sector had campaigned vociferously against.
Reacting to the committee’s decision, Aberlour’s Head of Policy Alex Cole-Hamilton said: This is a fantastic result for Scotland’s Children and Young People. We have worked very hard with colleagues across the sector to oppose an amalgamation with the Human Right’s Commission and this news shows that Parliament have listened to our campaign. International Law recognises that children’s rights should be specially recognised, that’s why we have the United Nations Convention on the rights of the child, and that is why we need a separate and independent office of the Children’s Commissioner.
Scotland’s Commissioner for children and young people and the powers held by that office are recognised internationally as a Rolls Royce standard in championing the rights of children. Parliament are to be congratulated on resisting what would have been a retrograde step in the representation of children in Scotland.