How NICCY decides what to do

It is important that the Commissioner is aware of, and understands the issues that affect children and young people.

The Commissioner does this in different ways:

• Listening to children and young people – The Commissioner encourages children to tell NICCY about the issues and concerns they have. The UNCRC says that their views must be heard and inform decisions which affect their lives. They also listen to parents, carers, teachers, social workers and other professionals who care for or work with them.
• NICCY Youth Panel – The Commissioner also has a Youth Panel which is a group of young people who help NICCY with specific pieces of work that they do. This includes advising the Commissioner about good ways to communicate with children and young people.
• Research – The Commissioner carries out research to find out more about the range of issues that affect children and young people, and importantly, to recommend how things can be made better.

The Commissioner is supported and advised by NICCY staff across different disciplines and functions in the organisation – you can find out more about these in the About NICCY section.