Children's Commissioner Welcomes Government Move In Education

"The Budget announcement this year, to provide some funding for the Office of the Commissioner for Children to help children, young persons and their families and our schools to deal with the hard issues in Education, was good news" Commissioner for Children Roger McClay told NZEI teaching members at a meeting in Cambridge today.

Mr McClay outlined his plans for this provision of advocacy and mediation in the education community.

He said he was extending the Office of the Commissioner for Children's existing complaints and enquiries services to include education specifically.

Community based child advocacy training will soon commence in order to resource and support people in the community who are already involved in some form of child advocacy work.

Currently an overview of the range and nature of existing child advocacy services is being established.

Mr McClay said he had appointed a staff member to drive these initiatives and two more full time advocates to help cope with this extra workload.

Full speech notes are available from the Office of the Commissioner for Children. Telephone: 04-471-1410.

Office of the Commissioner for Children PO Box 5610 Lambton Quay WELLINGTON

phone: 4711 410 phone fax: 4711 418 fax

email: children@occ.org.nz email

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