New commissioner sets out goals for the position

Atkinson, director of children's services in Gateshead, said that young people are too often portrayed negatively by the media and need to be given more of a meaningful voice.

"The young people in my borough are concerned with things such as climate change, pressures at school and particularly how they will make it in life during a recession," she said. "We need to have a national discussion about these things as well."

Atkinson said she was not concerned that English law prohibits the commissioner from taking up cases of individual children, unlike commissioners in other British nations. "I'm not sure being a campaign voice of individual cases is such a good use of the role," she said. "The commissioner needs to exert influence on issues that are of collective concern to children and young people rather than being sucked in to the campaigns of individual children".

She said she would have to wait until she had settled into the role before she could say whether she would push to be given more power and responsibility than current incumbent Sir Al Aynsley-Green.

The position will continue to be filled by Aynsley-Green until the end of February 2010, although Atkinson plans to shadow him for a month from the end of January.

Atkinson said she had learnt a lot from her time at Gateshead and was confident that the strength in depth of the people she works with would ensure continuity. "I know it is strong enough to go on as if I had never been here, and that is fantastic," she said.