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Commissioner cuts could have 'negative impacts'

Chris CraddockBBC Jersey communities reporter
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Georgia, 17, has worked with Jersey's Children's Commissioner for two years

A teenager has said there could be "negative impacts" if proposed cuts to Jersey's children's commissioner's budget goes ahead.

Georgia, 17, has worked with the office for the last two years to improve rights for children in the island.

The office is set to lose £61,000 from its budget next year and the commissioner, Dr Carmel Corrigan, said it would "leave us unable to commission valuable independent research".

Minister for Children and Families, Richard Vibert, said he would talk to other States members about the cuts and sympathised with the commissioner.

'Want our voices heard'

Georgia has starred in a new film - yet to be uploaded online - to highlight why young people need to be listened to by politicians.

She said "through this video and our film we're showing that we want our voices heard" and asked "why would you make cuts to a places that our voices can be heard?".

Georgia added: "The Children's Commissioner's Office is a really important symbol for children's rights and where people - like the Youth Advisory Group (YAG) - can put their voices forward."

The YAG is made up for children aged between eight and 18 to help advise the work of the children's commissioner.

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Minister for Children and Families, Richard Vibert said he would talk to other States members about the cuts

Vibert attended the premier of the new film from the commissioner's office and said it "was absolutely fantastic" and the children were "able to tell us their views and what they think".

In responding to criticism of the budget cuts he said: "I will try to take it forward with the other State's members."

"It's not a big budget and a large amount of the budget, and a large amount they do have goes on rent and the staff who work there, and so a small cut in the rest of their budget can have a big impact."

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Jersey's Children's Commissioner Dr Carmel Corrigan warned cuts would reduce the work her office could do

Dr Carmel raised her concerns in a written submission over the proposed budget for 2026-2029.

She said "we fully accept that the public sector is, and always should be, striving for efficiencies" and "our operating budget is small enough to feel keenly the impact of what is, no doubt, to some observers, a relatively minor further cut".

"It would force us to abandon planned projects that would nurture essential on-island expertise in areas where there is currently little or none."

She highlighted how the cuts would research areas for her office like "educational inequality and children's mental health".

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