CHILD PROTECTION: children at risk to be assigned to individual care professionals

Lawyers have given a cautious welcome to government plans to appoint an independent children's commissioner to act as a 'champion' for young people this week.

The Green Paper, 'Every Child Matters', is the government's response to the inquiry into the death of eight-year-old Victoria Climbie, who died after prolonged neglect and cruelty by her carers.

It proposes that every child be given an identity number, and includes measures to promote better tracking and sharing of information between all agencies involved with children.

Also recommended is a shake-up of the youth justice system, with revisions to the child safety order and using the intensive supervision and surveillance programme as an alternative to custody.

Children known to more than one agency would have a single professional to 'take the lead' on their case, while police and health organisations would have a new duty to safeguard children.

Law Society chief executive Janet Paraskeva said the Society welcomed the proposal for a children's commissioner.

'However, as with all proposals of this nature, the Society believes that the key to its success will be the way it is implemented and resourced,' she added.

'We look forward to examining these details in due course.'

A spokeswoman for the Solicitors Family Law Association said: 'Lawyers work to protect the interests of individual children but children as a whole need an advocate.

The new role of a commissioner for children should prove a useful part of the strategy to help prevent situations which often end with children involved in court proceedings.'

Family Law Bar Association chairman Andrew McFarlane welcomed the proposals.

'Improved co-ordination between the relevant agencies should form an essential part of making sure there is no repetition of the Victoria Climbie tragedy,' he said.

Chris Baker