Here you’ll find the blog and newsletters of the Children’s Commissioner for Wales.
Rocio Cifuentes became the Children’s Commissioner in April 2022.
March Newsletter
A No Wrong Door to Neurodiversity: a book of experiences This month saw the culmination of work we’ve been doing with children and their families who are looking for help and support with neurodevelopmental conditions and undiagnosed neurodivergence. Included in our book are experiences of children and their families,…
February Newsletter
UN 94th Session on Human Rights This month Rocio attended the 94th pre-session at the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva, Switzerland. A pre-session meeting is an opportunity for children’s human rights defenders, such as children’s commissioners and civil society organisations, to meet with the…
January Newsletter
A message from Rocio – her hopes for 2023 Happy New Year all, Blwyddyn Newydd Dda pawb, and really hope that 2023 is treating you well so far. A new year always brings with it a sense of hope and possibility, and so I thought I would share with…
My advisory panel share their thoughts on Andrew Tate
On Monday I asked my young people’s advisory panel about Andrew Tate, the influencer whose controversial, and often misogynistic content has been widely discussed over the last few weeks. My panel consists of young people aged 11-18 from all over Wales, who advise me and my team on our…
My first time voting
Can you remember the first time you voted? How did you feel? Our Communications Officer Lewis shares his personal reflections of voting for the first time, not knowing much about politics, and his hopes for the future. I was 19 when I voted for the first time in an…
First three months
It’s been three months since I took up the post of Children’s Commissioner for Wales, an important job, standing up for the rights of the 630,000 children who live in Wales. One of the most important parts of my role is listening to what children and young people tell…
Guest post by Fatjona Koka – Work Placement
My time at the Children’s Commissioner for Wales I was offered a 16 weeks placement at the Children’s Commissioner for Wales from the organisation that I have volunteered for years, Ethnic Minorities and Youth Support Team Wales (EYST). I firstly had an online meeting with the participation team officer…
My Welsh Promise
Since starting as commissioner, it’s evident to me that the Welsh language is a living, breathing language here, with the team using it every day, in every aspect of our work. It’s not something we just use to convey messages but it’s a way of us connecting with one…
Equal Protection for children at last
‘What, adults are actually allowed to smack their children?’ I’ll always remember my then 7-year-old son’s disbelief after I began publicly campaigning for equal protection. I was an academic at Cardiff University at the time, making the case along with many others in the field that Wales needed to…
Castle Park Primary School
Today, some of the Year 6 pupil leadership group met with Sally Holland, Child’s Commissioner for Wales and Kath O’Kane who works alongside Sally. We are so grateful for Sally giving up her time to meet with us, on TEAMS, as she is so busy. Sally and Kath gave…