Arts minister and former education secretary Estelle Morris is among those hoping to become England's first children's commissioner, Young People Now has learned.
Morris, who will step down as an MP at the next election, will be competing with fellow Labour MP Hilton Dawson and Carolyne Willow, national coordinator of the Children's Rights Alliance for England.
Other names linked to the post include ChildLine chair Esther Rantzen and Anne Longfield, chief executive of 4Children. Both declined to comment.
Young people will help devise a short list of candidates, but youth minister Margaret Hodge will make the final decision. The successful candidate will be announced in February.
