A children's ombudsman, children's commissioner, youth commissioner, child advocate, children's commission, youth ombudsman or equivalent body is a public authority in various countries charged with the protection and promotion of the rights of children and young people, either in society at large, or in specific categories such as children in contact with the care system. The agencies usually have a substantial degree of independence from the executive, the term is often used differently from the original meaning of ombudsman, it is often an umbrella term, often used as a translation convention (the term is often not used even in countries that do have ombudsmen in other positions) or national human rights institutions, dealing with individual complaints, intervening with other public authorities, conducting research, and – where their mandate permits them to engage in advocacy – generally promoting children's rights in public policy, law and practice. The first children's commissioner was established in Norway in 1981. The creation of such institutions has been promoted by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, and, from 1990 onwards, by the Council of Europe.
Largely a European phenomenon, although some exist in other regions, many of the institutions belong to the European Network of Ombudspersons for Children (ENOC). There are also sub-regional networks, including the Children's Rights Ombudspersons' Network in South and Eastern Europe (CRONSEE), created in 2006, and the British and Irish Network of Ombudsmen and Children’s Commissioners (BINOCC), which first met in 2005.
Children's ombudsman services by country
Australia Australia appointed its first National Children's Commissioner, Megan Mitchell, in February 2013. Mitchell served two terms in the role until 2020 and was replaced by Anne Hollonds. The Commissioner's role is to promote public discussion and awareness of issues affecting children; conduct research and education programs; consult directly with children and representative organisations; and examine Commonwealth legislation, policies and programs that relate to children's human rights. The Australian Human Rights Commission proposed the creation of the office in 2010, and the Commissioner is based within the AHRC.
The Commonwealth Ombudsman and State ombudsmen retain some jurisdiction over matters affecting children.
Children's commissioner offices, varying in remit, have been created at the state and territorial levels. Most have a limited remit, focussing on disadvantaged children such as those in government care, or children with no one to act on their behalf. In the Australian Capital Territory, the ACT Human Rights Commission includes a Children and Young People Commissioner. The office has a broad mandate to promote and protect the rights of all children and young people in the ACT. The current ACT Children and Young People Commissioner is Alasdair Roy. The creation of a Commission for Children and Young PeopleNSW Commission website in New South Wales followed a legislative reform in 1998 that gave specific child protection responsibilities to the state ombudsman. In the Northern Territory, the Office of the Children's Commissioner was established by the territorial Assembly's Care and Protection of Children Act 2007. Its initially restricted remit - including complaint handling, monitoring follow-up to the Inquiry into the Protection of Aboriginal Children from Sexual Abuse, reduction of child mortality, and certain other matters - was significantly expanded by a legislative amendment in 2011 giving it the right to mount investigations on its own initiative. The current Commissioner is Howard Bath. Queensland's Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian. The Office of the Guardian for Children and Young People, South Australia. The Commissioner for Children and Young People, Tasmania. The Commissioner for Children and Young People, Victoria. The Commissioner for Children and Young People, Western Australia.
Austria The Federal Children’s Ombudsman () was established by the Federal Youth Welfare Act 1989. In the meantime, each of the nine Bundesländer (states) have set up an Ombudsman for Children and Youth. The federal office is funded through the Federal Chancellor's office. The federal office focusses on advocacy on behalf of children and on promoting the principle of non-violent education, while actual complaints are being handled on the state level.
Belgium Belgium has two agencies, both members of the ENOC network.
The Child Rights Commission () was established by the Flemish Parliament in June 1998. The Commission's services include mediation, information, complaints about possible violations of child rights and policy advice. It conducts public information and education campaigns, conducts and monitors research, and offers views on legislative initiatives that may affect minors. The Commission reports annually to the Flemish Parliament. The current Commissioner, , was appointed in 2009.
Bernard De Vos is the Commissioner for Child Rights of the French Community (), which has a more or less identical range of functions but was created by, and reports to, the Parliament of the French Community.
Bosnia and Herzegovina The Human Rights Ombudsman of Bosnia and Herzegovina has as one of its seven departments a Child Rights Section (Bosnian: Odjel za praćenje prava djece), and is a full member of ENOC.
The Republika Srpska has an Ombudsman for Children (Serbian: Ombudsmana za djecu), also an ENOC member. The office, established in 2008, promotes legislative compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; investigates alleged violations of the rights and interests of children; advocates the rights and interests of children, and conducts public information and education work.
Canada The Canadian provinces and territories have a variety of agencies that serve as more or less independent advocates of the rights of children, particularly those that have been clients of social services. They differ in mandate but share a commitment to child rights, and co-ordinate their activities through the Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates (CCCYA). In Alberta, the Ministry of Children’s Services created an office of Children's Advocate in September 1989; in 2004 this became the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate (OCYA). As an internal advocacy system, the Advocate's services can only be accessed by, or on behalf of, young people already served under the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act (Enhancement Act) or the Protection of Sexually Exploited Children Act (PSECA). In British Columbia, the Representative for Children and Youth (RCY) provides policy advice and advocacy services on behalf of all children and young people (under 19), and in particular, supports children, youth and families who need help in dealing with the care services provided by the Ministry of Children and Family Development.BC Representative for Children and Youth website Prior to the creation of the RCY, the provincial Ombudsman had, in 1987, designated a Deputy Ombudsman for Children and Youth. In Manitoba, although limited to dealing with children and young people who have been in contact with official childcare and adoption services, the Office of the Children's Advocate of Manitoba has a degree of independence, and complaint-handling and advisory functions, similar to those of an ombudsman. In New Brunswick, the New Brunswick Child and Youth Advocate was established. In Newfoundland and Labrador, the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate was established in 2001. The Nova Scotia Ombudsman has a children's ombudsman section. The Ontario Ombudsman was given responsibility for protecting the interests of children in Ontario through the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, which fully commenced in 2020. In Prince Edward Island the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate was established in 2020 through the Child and Youth Advocate Act. In Quebec a Children's Rights Commissioner is to be appointed from late 2025. The Saskatchewan Advocate for Children and Youth is Dr. Lisa Broda. This is an independent office of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan whose mandate is to uphold the rights, interests, and well-being of children youth in Saskatchewan who are or have been receiving services from a provincial ministry, agency, and/or publicly-funded health entity. The Nunavut Representative for Children and Youth was established in 2015. The Yukon Youth and Children Advocate Office was established in 2009.
Colombia The People's Defender () or Ombudsman's Office of Colombia has a children's rights unit.
Costa Rica Costa Rica was the second country (after Norway) to establish a children's ombudsman, setting up the Defender of Childhood () in 1987. In 1993, this body was absorbed into the main Defender of the Inhabitants (ombudsman) agency, which created a specialist child rights section.
Croatia The Ombudsperson for Children (Croatian: Pravobranitelj za djecu) aims to ensure protection of the rights of children; to influence the legislative and executive authorities to take child rights into consideration; to promote the acknowledgment of children’s opinions and attitudes, and to inform adults and children about child rights. The Ombudsperson, currently Mila Jelavić, has about 10 staff and submits annual reports to the Croatian Parliament. The office is a member of ENOC and CRONSEE.
Cyprus The Commissioner for Children’s Rights () was established by the Commissioner for the Protection of Children’s Rights Law, 2007. Leda Koursoumba was appointed first Commissioner with effect from February 2008. The agency is full member of ENOC. In 2011, the Commissioner presented her first parallel report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.
Denmark In February 2011, the Danish government turned down a renewed request from a United Nations committee to create the position of Ombudsman for Children (); the UN body had in 2001 suggested as an alternative the creation of a child rights focal point within the national ombudsman office.
There is a National Council for Children (), a statutory national institution which is politically independent although administratively linked with the Ministry of Family and Consumer Affairs. The Council works to safeguard the rights of children; it provides information on conditions for children in society and offers advice and consultancy to authorities on issues concerning children.
El Salvador The Human Rights Procurator, or ombudsman () has an adjunct ombudsman for children's rights.
Estonia In December 2010, the Parliamentary Finance Committee appropriated 383,000 euros to the Chancellor of Justice, the approximate equivalent of a national ombudsman, to establish a children's ombudsman office.
Finland Finland recently established the Office of the Ombudsman for Children (). Previously, within the Parliamentary Ombudsman's Office, there was a specialist ombudsman for children's welfare.
France In May 2011, the French Government merged the office of the Children's Ombudsman () with the main ombudsman agency and other bodies, creating a new body named the Defender of Rights (Défenseur des droits). In July 2011 Dominique Baudis was appointed to the office by the Council of State on the nomination of the Prime Minister, for a single six-year term.
Georgia The Public Defender (ombudsman) of Georgia has established a Child Rights Centre.
Greece