Commissioner plea

A leading family lawyer this week called for the introduction of an independent childrens commis-sioner with a wide-ranging remit to promote and protect the interests...A leading family lawyer this week called for the introduction of an independent childrens commis-sioner with a wide-ranging remit to promote and protect the interests of all children in society.

Rosemary Carter, chairwoman of the Solicitors Family Law Association (SFLA), made her request before the SFLA annual conference last week.

She said that although great strides had been made in the area of family law a lot more had still to be done.

She said England should follow the lead already set by Wales and appoint a commissioner whose over-arching role would be to monitor childrens issues and safeguard their interests.

Ms Carter stressed that the post should remain independent of the government.

Ms Carter also expressed concern about the teething problems that the recently-formed Children And Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) was experiencing.

Children deserve the benefit of a unified court service, she continued.

I hope that CAFCASS will deliver as good a service as those which it replaces.

Victoria MacCallum