Only those who own the youth own the future… When the enemy declares, “I will not join you,” I calmly say, “Your children are already ours… Who are you? You will go, but your descendants now stand in a new camp, and soon they will know nothing but this new community.”
Maggie Atkinson's appointment as children's commissioner attracted considerable criticism. In 2010, after a lengthy search process, former children, schools and families secretary Ed Balls announced that he had recommended her as a candidate. When the newly established Parliamentary Education Select Committee rejected her appointment, Balls simply Ignored their objections.
Who decided that there should be a children's commissioner and what exactly are their powers?
According to Your own website “The Children's Commissioner has a statutory duty to promote and protect the rights of every child in England in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child,” it said, adding that “the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has recommended that ideally each country should have a person responsible for children's rights, such as a children's commissioner or ombudsman.”
Maggie Atkinson caused controversy soon after her appointment with some insensitive comments about British sentencing policy. She called the James Bulgers murder case “deeply disturbing,” but said it was a mistake to try Venables and Thompson in adult courts because they were too young in 1993 to understand the consequences of their actions. According to Atkinson, “instead of being prosecuted, they should have been put into a 'program' to help them turn their lives around.”
One wonders what sort of “programme” she had in mind.Atkinson's own thinking is perhaps best illustrated by the following extract from a talk she gave while she was Gateshead Council's Director of Learning and Children's Groups and Chair of the Association of Children's Service Directors:
She said,
“Simply put, the people who live, work and study with me, from pre-birth to 19 years old, are my responsibility. Whether they are registered with a GP in Gateshead, using our children's centre, play and childcare services, schools and the local college; Whether they have a mountain of GCSEs, A-levels and diplomas; Whether they want to engage with us; Whether they have received the Duke of Edinburgh Award at any level, are a star volunteer, performer, campaigner, spokesperson, community activist, are already young leaders and citizens; Whether they have special needs and need support, such as being unable or unwilling to communicate, being in a treatment programme or are a young carer; Whether they live in a settled or troubled home; Whether they need low levels of mental and emotional support, or more specialised and intensive interventions, whether they are in need of support, are at risk, have a child protection plan, are a young parent, are a young offender (whether incarcerated or not) or are the victim of a young offender, have an illness or disability, are under 18 and died of any cause, are at risk of being looked after, are already in care or have recently left care… Simply put, they are mine.
She continued with horror
“And so do their families, their schools, the other environments they use and everyone in their communities.”
in Supporting Parents Maggie Atkinson, written in 2011
“Raising well-rounded children takes community. Community support and social networks play a vital role in parenting. The report finds that 27% of parents feel that a lack of a community support network is the biggest obstacle they face as a parent. This is higher than those who identified their relationship with their partner as their biggest problem (22%). We need to look at ways we can improve this. Supporting community organizers Provide guidance to parents and involve them in services where they can meet other parents.
In the linked article titled “Supporting Community Organizers,” the author writes:
“The best thing would be to live in a society where the focus is on the quality of social relations and human well-being, not the relentless pursuit of wealth – a Big Society.”
Maggie Atkinson is currently iMPOWER Child Services ConsultingThe policy and practice team works collaboratively with local and central government and partners to improve services and systems.
In September 2015, her previous LinkedIn profile revealed links to the pseudo-educational charity Common Purpose.
Why was Ed Balls keen to appoint Maggie Atkinson as Children's Commissioner in 2010, ignoring a Parliamentary Select Committee? Is it ironic to propose the pre-planned appointment of trained staff for a common purpose to a UN-designated post just two years before the introduction of the UN's own child protection system? A global agenda for social welfare and development? The document asserted that global social welfare organizations “feel compelled to advocate for a New World Order.”
Is this a further example of the common purpose effect at work?
