Campaigners question independence of panel to recruit new children’s commissioner for England

In a letter to children’s minister Vicky Ford, the Children’s Rights Alliance for England questions the independence of the board selected to appoint a replacement for Anne Longfield, due to be announced in December.

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The letter raises questions over the government’s decision to appoint Simon Burns, former Conservative MP for Chelmsford and leader of the West Oxfordshire Conservative Association as chair of the panel.

They have also criticised the appointment of a special adviser to former Education Secretary Damien Hinds, to sit on the panel.

The letter states: “To have two panellists so closely affiliated with the party of Government and no panellist from any other political party is not in line with the Paris Principles.”

The Paris Principles stress the importance of independence to enable National Human Rights Institutions to be effective in holding governments to account on their human rights obligations.

“Neither is it in keeping with the spirit of the welcome reforms to strengthen the independence of the children’s commissioner taken forward by Michael Gove when he was Education Secretary,” the letter adds.

Applications for the role closed today (18 September).

Louise King, director of the Children’s Rights Alliance for England, part of Just for Kids Law, said the group is calling on the government to rethink the recruitment panel which also includes Cindy Butts, commissioner for criminal case reviews, Jon Yates, executive director of the Youth Endowment Fund and Indra Morris, director general at DfE specialising in social care.

“The children’s commissioner’s role in standing up for children and protecting their rights means that their independence is crucial.  

“We’re concerned that the close affiliation of two recruitment panel members with the party of government could undermine the appointee’s independence and urge the government to reconsider the panel membership. This would build confidence that the new commissioner is entirely independent, above party politics and will always speak out based on the best interests of children,” she said. 

Chloë Darlington, policy and communications manager at Children England added: "Children, who have so little direct say in government policy, need the children's commissioner to be fiercely independent, speaking up for their rights with skill and passion, without fear or favour. So it really does matter that the appointment panel of this vital role, as well as subsequent parliamentary scrutiny, is not weighted in favour of one political party or another."

Carolyne Willow, director of children’s rights charity Article 39 further criticised the person specification published alongside the job advert saying it “appears to have been drafted to attract applications only from children’s services leaders rather than children’s rights champions from all parts of society, including law, academia and campaigning.”

She said: “It was a long struggle for children and young people in England to gain their own national human rights institution, and I remember the high hopes of those who campaigned and gave oral evidence to parliament, the youngest of whom was 10 years old. 

“When the legislative framework was considerably strengthened in 2014, to meet international standards, it looked like government was totally behind children and young people having their own rights champion in the corridors of power, as well as in wider society, and that ministers understood that this role is like no other. But the person specification appears to have been drafted to attract applications only from children’s services leaders rather than children’s rights champions from all parts of society, including law, academia and campaigning. 

“Children and young people should be on the recruitment panel as equal partners in the process, and it’s a missed opportunity that there’s not been direct dissemination to them about this critical role. As for having a president of a local conservative association as the chair of the assessment panel, it would be hard to justify this as impartial even if the person was known within the children’s rights community.”

A Department for Education spokesperson said: "The role of children’s commissioner is to be an advocate and champion for children, promoting their rights and giving them a greater voice.

“We are confident in the panel selected to recruit the next children’s commissioner, and all candidates who progress to the interview stage will be invited to attend an additional panel with children and young people, to ensure their views are reflected in the appointment process.”