Previous Commissioners

There were two previous Commissioners, these were:

Patricia Lewsley-Mooney – 2007-2015

Patricia Lewsley-Mooney took up post as Commissioner for Children and Young People on 8th January, 2007. A former MLA and district councillor, Mrs Lewsley-Mooney had a long track record working for children and young people before becoming Commissioner.

She chaired the All-Party Assembly Group on Children and Young People and brought and led efforts through the Assembly to put Area Child Protection Committees on a statutory basis.

A community advice worker prior to becoming involved in politics, the Commissioner was a co-founder of Shopmobility in Belfast and introduced the post of the first Disability/Equal Opportunity Officer in local Government.

Mrs Lewsley-Mooney is married with five children and six grandchildren.

 

Nigel Williams – 2003-2006

Nigel Williams was the first Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People.

He was appointed to the post on October 1st, 2003 and remained Commissioner until he died in April 2006.

Prior to becoming Commissioner Nigel founded the charity Childnet International.

He was also a board member of the Internet Watch Foundation and the Internet Content Rating Association. In 2001 the Home Secretary appointed him to the Task Force on Child Protection.

In January 2006 he was honoured by the Institut d’Informatique, in Namur, Belgium for his work on keeping children safe.

A father of four, Nigel was diagnosed with cancer in 2004, but continued to work while undergoing treatment before he passed away in 2006.

A remembrance board saw tributes from young people, politicians, colleagues and many others