The National Children's Bureau and the Children's Legal Centre have been developing a method of assessing the impact of legislation on young people, using the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the European Convention on Human Rights and the Children Act's five outcomes as a guide. The Nuffield Foundation is funding the project.
Staff in the commissioner's office plan to adopt the methodology over the next 18 months and develop a way of enabling young people to play a role. They will examine the Queen's Speech this month to identify new legislation to analyse.
Aynsley-Green told Parliament's joint committee on human rights last week: "It's a large task because of the complexity of bills, but it's important that the children's perspective is brought into this process."
The commissioner, who has an annual budget of 3m, voiced his frustration that his limited budget prevented him from reaching young people through initiatives including regional offices and a roadshow. "I hoped to establish a London presence and have regional offices, but we could not afford it," he said.
Aynsley-Green said his role was affected by the need to report to the education minister: "The issues we're concerned about lie outside the Department for Education and Skills."
A recent survey of more than 2,000 11-to-16-year-olds carried out for the commissioner suggests more than three-quarters of this group are unaware of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and its impact on their lives.
