Children's Commissioner Maggie Atkinson may have to re-apply for her job after critical report - Telegraph
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Dr Atkinson faced calls to resign in March when she suggested that James Bulger’s killers were too young to have been tried in an adult court.
A review warned that “ill judged” comments had undermined the credibility of the role and warned that any future commissioner should speak only on the basis of evidence.
The report, which the coalition accepted in principle, recommended making the post fully independent of ministers with more powers to launch inquiries and demand answers from the government.
Officials at the Department for Education suggested that the reformed role of the new commissioner would be so different that the government may have to re-advertise the post.
Dr John Dunford, former general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the commissioner had no automatic right to speak “on any subject relating to children”.
“A number of consultees have drawn my attention to high-profile media interventions by the Children’s Commissioner which they argue were ill-judged and undermined the credibility of the role,” he said. “In some cases, the Commissioner has made assertions or offered opinions without providing the supporting evidence.”
Dr Dunford also recommended that children should be taught about their rights at school to help them respect the rights of other people and become responsible citizens.
In a newspaper interview, Dr Atkinson had called for the age of criminal responsibility to be raised from 10 to 12.
This would have meant that Jon Venables and Robert Thompson would never have stood trial for killing two-year-old James Bulger in 1993. James's mother, Denise Fergus, called for Dr Atkinson to resign or be sacked over her remarks.
Dr Atkinson, who sent Ms Fergus a private apology after the row, said she was “ready to commence work immediately” on the transition to the new arrangements.
“It is great news for children that the Government has made a commitment to having a truly independent commissioner to speak and act on their behalf,” she said.
The Children’s Minister, Sarah Teather, said the government wanted to “raise the profile and credibility of the role among children, young people and parents”.
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*sigh*
The fact is that the UK has one of the lowest ages of criminal responsibility in the world (beating such bleeding heart liberals as China, Uganda and the DRC), and her comment was entirely sensible. In Scotland the age is 12. But "Oh noes! Poor teh Jamie Bulger!"
Just saying, there's no point having an independent childrens commissioner if her job is merely to repeat whatever the Daily Mail says in its editorials. Or, if you really must, I could do it for half the wages. Skype me.
Children's Commissioner Maggie Atkinson may have to re-apply for her job after critic
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