New children's commissioner begins work

Dr Carmel Corrigan's role is to ensure the rights of young people in Jersey are protected

An expert in children's rights has started her role as Jersey's new children's commissioner.

Dr Carmel Corrigan was appointed to the role following the resignation of Deborah Macmillan in 2022.

She previously held a similar role working in Ireland.

The role of the children's commissioner is to ensure the rights of young people on the island are protected.

'Really exciting'

Dr Corrigan said Jersey was a "really exciting place to be working in the field of children's rights" and she was not going to "shy away from challenges".

She said: "I'll be visiting schools, I'll be meeting and speaking to professionals across a range of sectors and services and trying to get as full a picture as I possibly can of the challenges and obstacles they may be facing.

"I want to make sure everybody is 100% clear about what the children's commissioner does and what they can't do, and that we are a body that is independent of government."

The recruitment process was overseen by the Jersey Appointments Commission.

It included an interview with a panel of young people from the Jersey Youth Service.