§ Ms ShipleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 22 April 2002,Official Report, 741W column 108W, if he will make a statement on the differences between the role of a children's commissioner and the role of a children's rights director. [55302]
§ Jacqui SmithThere is no one standard model for a children's commissioner. The models that have been adopted in other countries vary considerably, and arise from the specific needs and individual circumstances of each country. While only Wales, among the devolved Administrations, has established the role of a children's commissioner, the possible forms of such a role within Northern Ireland and Scotland, now being considered in those countries, show both similarities and differences to the model introduced in Wales.
The role of the children's rights director, located within the national care standards commission, was established by the Care Standards Act 2000. The primary role is to safeguard those children who are in receipt of a range of regulated services. These services include those provided by children's homes; independent fostering agencies; local authority fostering services; the welfare aspects of boarding schools; and, in due course, residential family centres, voluntary adoption agencies, and local authority adoption services. Regulations specifying the children's rights director's functions are expected to commence on 24 May 2002.