Secondment of Children's Rights Team

I am pleased to announce that the Government of Jersey’s team of Children’s Rights Officers (CROs) will be seconded to the Office of the Children’s Commissioner from January next year. This decision has been reached after a number of weeks of discussion between myself, the CROs and the senior management of Children’s Social Care Services (CSCS).

The role of CRO is important in the promotion and protection of children’s rights, and was a recommendation of the Jersey Care Inquiry. However, as the role has evolved in CSCS, it has become increasingly clear that it requires further development and thought. It has, above all, become evident that the service needs to be independent from social work and other professionals who are directly involved in the delivery of services to children in care and care leavers.

With this in mind, the decision was taken to second the Children’s Rights Team Manager and the two CRO posts to the Office of the Children’s Commissioner for a trial period of 12 months, starting on 1st January 2021, with a view to making the arrangement permanent.

The secondment will not only improve the promotion of all Children’s Rights across Jersey but it will also enable the Children’s Rights Team to be independent and to properly hold CSCS to account. CROs will continue to have access to CSCS, and be enabled to provide high support and challenge and help all staff and volunteers to place children’s rights at the centre of what they do.

Deborah McMillan

Children’s Commissioner for Jersey