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| New child 'champion' to be named | New child 'champion' to be named |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The new children's commissioner for Wales is expected to be named later as Keith Towler, the head of Save the Children in Wales. | The new children's commissioner for Wales is expected to be named later as Keith Towler, the head of Save the Children in Wales. |
| A former director of crime reduction for the rehabilitation body Nacro, he has also been a member of the assembly government's New Deal taskforce. | A former director of crime reduction for the rehabilitation body Nacro, he has also been a member of the assembly government's New Deal taskforce. |
| The post has been vacant since the death in January of Peter Clarke, Wales' first commissioner. | The post has been vacant since the death in January of Peter Clarke, Wales' first commissioner. |
| Wales led the way by creating the first such post in the UK in 2001. | Wales led the way by creating the first such post in the UK in 2001. |
| Following Mr Clarke's death from cancer, the commissioner's job has been filled on an acting basis. | Following Mr Clarke's death from cancer, the commissioner's job has been filled on an acting basis. |
| Now Mr Towler is expected to take on the role as the leading children's "champion" in Wales. | Now Mr Towler is expected to take on the role as the leading children's "champion" in Wales. |
| We would like the new commissioner to help get the message across that our children are not all hoodie-wearing monsters Andy James, Barnardo's Cymru | |
| He has spoken out in the past on issues such as child poverty, and his work with Nacro Cymru means he has a strong background in youth justice. | He has spoken out in the past on issues such as child poverty, and his work with Nacro Cymru means he has a strong background in youth justice. |
| Before any official announcement was made, Andy James, the assistant director of children's charity Barnardo's Cymru, said Mr Towler's background should provide a sure footing for the job. | |
| "I think the new commissioner for Wales has a very important job in protecting the rights of all of Wales' children and the previous commissioner, Peter Clarke, really left a strong legacy in that sense," said Mr James. | |
| "We hope the new commissioner will take up the reins and continue that work." | |
| In the past, the prospective commissioner has called for early intervention to prevent patterns of criminal behaviour developing. | |
| He has also warned against the trend to "demonise" young people as a source of disorder and anti-social behaviour. | |
| Wenda Hatherley, the deputy director of children's services for NCH Cymru, said she was pleased the likely new commissioner was "concerned to recognise the impact of portraying young people with positive images, with clear views of what they are capable of, what their potential is, rather than negative aspects of what their behaviour may sometimes be". | |
| Mr James said: "What we'd like to see is the new commissioner help to readdress what we see as really the relentless negative views we have of children and young people. | |
| "We would like the new commissioner to help get the message across that our children are not all hoodie-wearing monsters, and the majority live positive lives." |