Department of Education consults over Children Bill

THE Department of Education today (Friday) launches a public consultation exercise over legislation that will strengthen support and protection for the Island’s children and young people, particularly those who are vulnerable.

The Children Bill represents a major milestone in the move to more closely integrate and improve children’s services in line with the recommendations of an independent Commission of Inquiry.

The 31-clause Bill will introduce a Children’s Commissioner to promote and safeguard the rights of children and young people. The Commissioner will hold investigations, conduct research, review law and promote understanding of the rights of children and young people, among other tasks.

The Bill will also give statutory status to two bodies that have already been introduced in practice:

• The Children’s Committee, chaired by the Education Minister and with a membership including Ministers and Members of other Departments working with children. It plans children’s services and co-ordinates the activities of services providers, publishing an annual plan.

• The Safeguarding Children Board, which conducts serious case reviews and co-ordinate the activities of service providers with the aim of protecting children and young people from harm and neglect.

The Bill places a duty on relevant Government Departments to work towards a central ‘overriding objective’ for children and young people – to improve their well-being in respect of their physical and mental health; their protection from harm and neglect; their education, training and recreation; their contribution to society and their social and economic situation.

Education Minister Anne Craine MHK said:

‘The Isle of Man is, for most children, an ideal place to grow up. However, as in any society, there are exceptions to the rule and we cannot divorce ourselves from the fact that not all Island children enjoy the childhood we would wish them to.

‘The essence of this Bill is to ensure that Government Departments have to work together for the good of the child so that they can aspire to the five outcomes we wish for them as set out in the Children’s Plan. These are that they should: be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and prosper.

‘To make sure that we do, it is intended that a Children’s Commissioner be appointed to hear the voice of children and represent their best interests. In addition, we are creating a Safeguarding Board that will have the necessary legislative powers to protect children. These two bodies will have the independence to critically assess the extent to which the Departments of Government that have the role to provide children’s services are doing their job.

‘We have been working in this “virtual” state for some time and so I very much welcome the fact that we are now able to bring forward the legislation that will be a major step forward in preventing children falling through the net.’

The Department is inviting the views of the public and those working with children over the legislation.

The consultation document can be found at www.gov.im/consultations or can be obtained from the Department’s offices at St George’s Court, Upper Church Street, Douglas, IM1 2SG.

Views should be submitted to John Gill, Head of Legal and Administrative Services, at the above address or john.gill@doe.gov.im and must contain the author’s name, together with the name of any organisation they represent.

The deadline for the return of views is 5pm on Friday 16 April.

Among those being directly consulted are Tynwald Members, the Attorney General, the Education Council, local authorities, chief officers of Government Departments, the Chamber of Commerce, the Law Society, the Principal of the Isle of Man College, the Director of the International Business School, schools and other organisations involved with children.

The Department will publish a summary of views submitted.

Downloadable Documents
Draft Children Bill consultation (1268 kb) Format:Acrobat PDF File Draft Children Bill consultation

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