The Children’s Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, will be questioned by the Education Committee in its first evidence session of the new Parliament.
Meeting details
The Children’s Commissioner acts as an independent advocate for the rights and interests of children in England, appointed by the Secretary of State for Education.
In this session, the cross-party Committee will have the opportunity to question Dame Rachel on all areas of her remit. There will be particular focus on the findings of her Big Ambition – a set of policy recommendations based on a consultation which engaged 367,000 children and adults, and received survey responses from 253,000. The proposals cover a number of subjects including families, health, education, social care, jobs and skills and online safety.
MPs are likely to ask the Commissioner about her recent report on SEND, which made calls for: earlier identification of neurodevelopmental conditions and more support in mainstream school; a national framework for providing support; a joint workforce strategy across education, health and social care; a review of how children are diagnosed; and better support for families waiting for an assessment.
The Commissioner may explore what steps could be taken to improve regional disparities in the quality of care for children with disabilities and mental health issues.
There may be questions on school attendance, including a statutory register of children not in school, which the previous Education Committee repeatedly called for. Ministers have said legislation for the register will appear in the forthcoming Children’s Wellbeing Bill.
The Committee may also ask for her thoughts on alleviating child poverty, in advance of the Government’s Child Poverty Taskforce coming forward with a strategy in 2025.
Chair quote
Education Committee Chair Helen Hayes said: “I am pleased that this Committee is starting with a focus on the rights, views and interests of children by scrutinising government policies that affect their lives. I know the Children’s Commissioner will provide valuable insight into the challenges that today’s children face and her work will inform our forthcoming inquiries.”
Dame Rachel became Children’s Commissioner in 2021 having previously been chief executive of a multi-academy trust. She is three years into her six-year term.