Children's Commissioner for NI announced

A Commissioner for Children and Young People in Northern Ireland has been appointed for the first time today.

Nigel Williams, who will take up his post in October, is currently the Chief Executive of Childnet International, which specialises in protecting children from abuse on the Internet.

Commenting on his new role, Mr Williams said: “I am honoured to be chosen for this important position. I am under no illusion about the extent of the task I have taken on. It will be a very challenging role, with the potential to have a positive impact on the lives of children and young people throughout Northern Ireland.

“While I intend to bring my specialist experience to bear on the tasks ahead, my priority is to listen to children and young people themselves and to work with the organisations that are involved in the field. I will be visiting as many of them as I can, once I take office, to learn more about what needs to be done."

Welcoming the announcement, SDLP spokesperson on children's issues, Patricia Lewsley said the new Commissioner would face a considerable challenge in his new post. She added: "The Children's Commissioner is but one building block towards a better future for children in Northern Ireland, and the appointment is not the end of things.

"In particular we need to have in place an overarching children's strategy and stronger funding for children's services including expansion of the children's fund."

The Office of the Commissioner for Children and Young People will be set up over the next nine months and its staff will include experts in children's legal rights, in research, marketing and education.

Mr Williams, who is originally from Limavady, is currently a Board member of the Internet Watch Foundation, and of the Internet Content Rating Association and was appointed by the Home Secretary in 2001 to the Task Force on Child Protection on the Internet.

From 1994-1998 he was a Liberal Democrat member of Southwark Council in South London. He will be resigning from the party to emphasise his political independence in his new role.

(MB)