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Commenting, Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years ÍõÖÐÍõ¿ª½±½á¹û, said:

"We warmly welcome this new initiative from the Children's Commissioner and in particular, its focus on ensuring that the needs of the child are at the heart of all relevant government policy.

"We know that all too often, decisions around education and care are not informed by the views of those directly affected by them. As such, the emphasis on capturing the voices of children and young people - and in the case of the very youngest, their parents and families - in this initiative is a very positive step forward.

"We at the Early Years ÍõÖÐÍõ¿ª½±½á¹û look forward to working closely with the new Children's Commissioner on this important work and ensuring that the early years sector, and the children and families that we support, are fully represented going forward."