Little people, big issues:

The Children’s Commissioner may not officially start the role until March 25, but Megan Mitchell faced big questions from children yesterday.

Meeting with students from Kingsford Smith School, the Commissioner was quizzed about what she hoped to achieve and why she had wanted the position.

Currently, the NSW Commissioner for Children and Young People, Ms Mitchell takes up the role that will have a strong focus on vulnerable children for five years.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard told the students that as National Children’s Commissioner, Ms Mitchell would ensure the voices of young people are heard by Government.

Image: Megan Mitchell

The commissioner told the group that a voice for children at a national level had been missing and it was an honour to fill that gap.

Ms Mitchell’s career focus has been on vulnerable children, child protection, foster and kinship care, juvenile justice, children’s services, childcare, disabilities, early intervention and prevention services.

The appointment of a National Children’s Commissioner will help to promote and protect the human rights of children and young people and ensure that the best interests of children are taken into account in the development of national law and policy.

The Human Rights Law Centre’s Ben Schokman welcomed the appointment yesterday and said that the position will assist to safeguard the rights of children and young people who are vulnerable and disadvantaged.

“There is a clear need for a stronger national voice advocating for the rights and interests of children who experience disadvantage or discrimination, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and children in immigration detention who face daily threats to their human rights,” said Mr Schokman.

With previous roles as the NSW Commissioner for Children and Young People and with the ACT Office for Children, Ms Mitchell brings a wealth of experience working with and advocating for children and young people.

“The Convention on the Rights of the Child requires that the best interests of children be considered paramount, that children are treated with dignity and respect, and that they be able to participate in decision-making processes. For the first time, Australia will now have an institutional mechanism at the national level to ensure that these international human rights obligations are implemented at home,” said Mr Schokman.