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Welcome to the Website of the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People

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The Commissioner

On Wednesday 1st March, 2023 we said our farewells to Koulla Yiasouma who served two terms in office as the Commissioner for Children and Young People in Northern Ireland.

The Organisation currently awaits the appointment of the new Commissioner to this vital role in safeguarding and promoting the rights and best interests of our children and young people.

We will update our website and social media platforms once the successful individual has been announced by the Executive Office.

The NICCY office continues to operate as usual throughout this interim period.

Mairead McCafferty

Chief Executive

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The Commissioner’s role is to safeguard and promote the rights and best interests of children and young people.

The Commissioner uses the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (sometimes called the UNCRC) to guide their work and the work of their staff.

All of the Commissioner’s work is focused on making sure children and young people have access to these rights in their day-to-day lives, so they have the best opportunity to reach their full potential.

Children's Rights Who we are

Complaints Referral form

If you need support or advice from our Legal and Investigations team, please use the form on this page.

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Current developments

NICCY Distressed School Boy

Education inequalities

Learn more about educational inequalities, including background information, how we monitor government in how they are discharging their duty to deliver on children and young people’s right to an education and our work addressing the inequalities that exist.

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NICCY Non-EU Children 2

Participating with children and young people

Learn more about participation, including background information, how we monitor government in how they are discharging their duty to involve children and young people in decisions that affect them and our work addressing and progressing this.

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Featured content

Key Issues

Key Issues

The Government and ‘relevant authorities’ provide services for children and young people such as health,…

Key Issues
How we can help children and young people

How we can help children and young people

NICCY's Legal and Investigations team are here to help children and young people

How we can help children and young people
Children's rights

Children's rights

Find out more about Children's Rights here:

Children's rights

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A New and Better Normal: Children and Young People's Experiences of the COVID-19 Pandemic Cover

Commissioner's Covid Blog

read the Commissioner's blog on Covid 19.

Commissioner's Blog
Commissioner's Covid Blog

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