176.Part V establishes an office of the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, and sets out its functions and powers. These will extend to all the services for children regulated in Wales under the Act: children’s homes, residential family centres, local authority fostering and adoption services, fostering agencies, voluntary adoption agencies, domiciliary care services for children, the welfare aspects of daycare and childminding services for all children under the age of eight; and the welfare of children living away from home in boarding schools. They will also apply to children in other settings regulated under this Act, such as care homes and independent hospitals. The Commissioner’s functions and powers include the review and monitoring of arrangements for dealing with complaints, ‘whistleblowing’ and advocacy arrangements; the examination of particular cases; and providing assistance, including financial, to a child in making a complaint or in other proceedings.
Commentary on Sections Part V – the Children’s Commissioner for Wales