http://www.niccy.org/article.aspx?menuid=14530 26 April 2012 I am pleased to welcome you all to this seminar, at which we will be launching two reports relating to the current Welfare Reform proposals and how they will impact on children in Northern Ireland. My role, as Commissioner for Children and Young People, is to review legislation, policies and services for children, advise on children’s rights and best interests, and – where necessary...http://www.niccy.org/article.aspx?menuid=13155 23 November 2011 Thank you Nikita and Callum Can I begin with a quote from a seminar held at Queens University last September, on how best to design, plan and improve services for children and young people. In fact our guests, Junior Minister Anderson and Junior Minister Bell might recognise this quote! “As Junior Ministers our role is to support and promote issues concerning children and young...http://www.niccy.org/article.aspx?menuid=10774 16 April 2011 Imagine its 10pm on a dark, dank October evening.  The bingo hall has shut for the night and Mary who’s in her 70s is buttoning up her coat to make the short 10 minute walk home.  She has taken this walk home most of her life and past the lampposts she used to swing on or the streets she used to play.  But this night is different. As she turns a corner she sees silhouetted in...http://www.niccy.org/article.aspx?menuid=9655 26th January 2011 The Commissioner today spoke at the Journey to Justice Conference: ‘Domestic violence and abuse: How can our policing and justice systems help? You can view a copy of the speech here (pdf) , you can also view it in MS Word format here . ...http://www.niccy.org/article.aspx?menuid=6537 26 January 2010 Good afternoon elected members, officials and guests. Winston Churchill said: “I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else.” So, when a cold wintry day two and a half years ago I helped lead 108 young people from the very bottom of the long road to the very top of the steps of this building I was optimistic that one day a youth assembly would sit...http://www.niccy.org/article.aspx?menuid=6534 9 February 2010 Health Professionals as Champions of Children’s Rights Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen.  I am delighted to be here with you all today.     I am here as the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People and would like to begin by speaking to you about my role in promoting and protecting children’s rights and about the United Nations Convention on the Rights...http://www.niccy.org/article.aspx?menuid=6531 26 January 2010 ‘Children’s Rights in Northern Ireland: Where to from here?’ Good morning everyone. Could I begin my offering my thanks to Child Care in Practice for the kind invitation to speak at this important and timely conference. We are all here to celebrate and learn from the vital work carried out by researchers, practitioners and professionals who are contributing to developing and...http://www.niccy.org/article.aspx?menuid=6528 22 February 2010 GOOD Morning ladies and gentlemen! I’d like to start by posing questions of sorts. What came first? Of course we normally ask what came first the chicken or the egg. My questions are: What came first? Harry Potter the books, or Harry Potter the films? What came first? The Lord of the Rings books, or the Lord of the Rings films? What came first? Charlie and the Chocolate...http://www.niccy.org/article.aspx?menuid=5391 15 December 2009 Good evening everyone, boys, girls, ladies and gentlemen Thank you very much for inviting me to be here at your Prizing giving. I am delighted to be able to share this evening with you. It is on nights like tonight that we can all recognise the valuable contribution that each of you make to your family, your school and your community. My job gives me a really cool title of being...http://www.niccy.org/article.aspx?menuid=5229 21 October, 2009. Before I begin I’d like to show you all a video made by a young person as part of our recent campaign. This video is by Sam Madden. [ VIDEO PLAYS ] This short video illustrates the value to all our work when we listen and take on board the views of those who have first hand experience of how things are for them. Therefore we must make sure we listen to what young people are...http://www.niccy.org/article.aspx?menuid=5061 11 September 2009 Good morning ladies and gentlemen.  Can I just begin my saying how delighted Al and I are to be here with you today to celebrate 25 years of children’s nursing within the Royal College. We are here as two of the four Commissioners for Children and Young People holding office across the four jurisdictions of the UK – myself as the Children’s Commissioner for Northern Ireland...http://www.niccy.org/article.aspx?menuid=4933 Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People, Patricia Lewsley, launched NICCY's Children's Rights Review at Stormont on 17th February 2009. Good afternoon, members, ladies and gentlemen – thank you for all coming along today. Before I begin I’d like to say a special thanks to Megan O’Kane, a member of NICCY’s Youth Panel, who you will hear from later on. In keeping with our...http://www.niccy.org/article.aspx?menuid=4927 16 February 2009 Good morning ladies and gentlemen, I am delighted to attend today’s ‘birthday celebrations’ and input into the debate on the implications of the sexual offences order on the sexual health of children and young people. Patricia sends her best wishes to you. She cannot be with us because of family circumstances, but I know she is thinking of you all and the importance of today’s...http://www.niccy.org/article.aspx?menuid=4924 2 April 2009 Good morning ladies, gentlemen, children and young people, I am delighted to attend today’s conference to ‘stand up for autism’ on behalf of Patricia Lewsley, the Commissioner for Children and Young People. The Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People, or as we call ourselves NICCY, was established back in 2003. Under our founding legislation, the ‘Commissioner...http://www.niccy.org/article.aspx?menuid=460 Namur Award Lecture The Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People, Nigel Williams delivered a lecture to the International Federation for Information Processing after receiving the Namur Award for his work to protect children and young people while online. You can read the lecture here , as well as seeing the accompanying presentation here . You can also find more...http://www.niccy.org/article.aspx?menuid=555 19th December 2006 Appointment of Children’s Commissioner: inaugural speech by Patricia Lewsley Minister, Ladies and Gentlemen: Can I just say how delighted I am to be here this morning and how thrilled I am to have been appointed Commissioner for Children and Young People in NI. I appreciate how big a challenge this important post is at a time of substantial change in Northern Ireland and...http://www.niccy.org/article.aspx?menuid=612 Speech by the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People, Patricia Lewsley, on 'An Analysis of Public Expenditure on Children in Northern Ireland' a t the Long Gallery, Parliament Buildings, Stormont, 3 rd July 2007. Can I add my words of thanks to all of you for coming here today to the launch of what I believe is a landmark for children and...http://www.niccy.org/article.aspx?menuid=613 Vice Chancellor, Distinguished guests, graduates, families and friends – thank you for inviting me to address your graduation ceremony this afternoon. It is an honour for me to not only address such a significant gathering, but one at which I can celebrate with you your achievement as students and look forward with you to your future careers. I am delighted to speak to you as both Children’s...http://www.niccy.org/article.aspx?menuid=615 Children in Crossfire 10th Anniversary Conference ‘A Promise for the Future’ Good afternoon distinguished guests, ladies, gentlemen children and Young People it is honor to attend this conference and speak to you all today. I would like to start by congratulating Richard Moore and his staff at children in crossfire on celebrating their 10 th anniversary. The work that you have...http://www.niccy.org/article.aspx?menuid=616 Thank you for invitation to launch. Today is about showing the importance of participation by those in a community most affected by the many issues surrounding them and in this case of this community its health and housing. For me it’s about Equipping communities like yours with the Human Rights tools to challenge government in addressing these very issues that we are talking...