Children's Commissioner Kathleen Marshall to stand down

SCOTLAND'S Children's Commissioner announced today she is standing down from the post.

Professor Kathleen Marshall became the first Commissioner for Children and Young People in April 2004.

But today she revealed she would not complete another five-year term in the job and would stand down in April next year.

She said: "It has been a great privilege to be Scotland's first Commissioner for Children and Young People.

"I hope I have made a difference to the lives of children, especially those whose rights were most under threat, such as asylum seekers, children with disabilities and those in care.

"However, I believe 10 years would be too long to stay in the post. This seems the right time to step down as it is a natural break and the office is ready to consult on a new set of priorities."

During her time in office Prof Marshall voiced concerns about the detention of children at the Dungavel immigration centre in Lanarkshire. She has also been an outspoken opponent of the use of "dawn raids" to remove the families of failed asylum seekers.

She has criticised the use of mosquito devices, which aim to prevent young people gathering in some areas, as the gadgets give off a high pitched noise which cannot be heard be those aged over 25.

In addition her report on the rights of the children of prisoners was praised by the European Commissioner for Human Rights. This report is currently being considered by the Scottish Prison Service.

However Prof Marshall stressed that her work was not yet finished, stating: "In the remaining eight months of my term I will be pursuing implementation of the recommendations in my reports to Parliament in relation to disability, leaving care and the children of prisoners."

The post of Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People was created by a Holyrood Act in 2003, with Prof Marshall beginning work in April the following year.

The job is independent of both the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government, with the Commissioner's basic remit to promote and safeguard the rights of children and young people.