New Children’s Commissioner says urgent action needed for Aotearoa New Zealand’s most vulnerable children

From today, 1 August 2026, Jane Searle is Aotearoa New Zealand’s Children’s Commissioner, leading Mana Mokopuna.

Jane brings more than 15 years of experience advocating for children and young people. She served for nine years as Chief Executive of the charity Child Matters, following a career in law and as a police detective who worked in child protection. She has also contributed her expertise through a range of governance and advisory roles focused on improving outcomes for children.

Jane says critical, meaningful change is urgently required across the system to protect vulnerable children and set them up to lead flourishing lives.

“It is a great privilege to take on this role and continue the legacy of Mana Mokopuna, standing up for tamariki and rangatahi. I want to acknowledge Dr Claire Achmad for her advocacy and leadership over her tenure.

“Alongside the dedicated Mana Mokopuna team, I am committed to advocating for systemic change. There is no greater investment we can make as a country than in the safety and protection of our children.”

She says the focus of the next two weeks will be spent meeting with the Mana Mokopuna team to understand the projects that are already underway and engaging directly with key community partners who can help effect meaningful change.

“There are approximately 1.2 million children in New Zealand. Of those, 170,000 live in material hardship. What’s more, tragically last year alone eight children were killed at the hands of someone else, while thousands more live with severe abuse and neglect.

“These are the children who deserve our priority attention. Too often, they are unknown, uncounted, and unseen by the system. They deserve to be supported, and they deserve a safe, successful future.”

Jane says addressing these issues reaches far beyond one role or organisation, requiring a coordinated, multi-agency approach backed by strong child protection systems.

“Many people across the country work tirelessly on the front line every day to protect children. I am committed to ensuring that the voices of our mokopuna, and the workers who support them, are brought directly to the decision-making table to drive the long-term changes urgently needed.

“This is the New Zealand we should all want for our children, and we will be unrelenting in working toward that goal.”

Mana Mokopuna Executive Director Sonya Marshall says she and the team are delighted to welcome Ms Searle and look forward to working alongside her to advocate for meaningful change and greater outcomes for children and young people.

“On behalf of everyone at Mana Mokopuna, I warmly welcome Jane to the role of Children's Commissioner. She brings a wealth of experience, a deep commitment to children and young people, and a strong understanding of the challenges many tamariki and whānau face.”

The Children's Commissioner holds an independent statutory role to promote, protect, and monitor the rights, interests, and safety of the 1.2 million tamariki and rangatahi in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Media contact

Children's Commissioner Jane Searle will be available for media interviews from Monday 17 August.

Melissa Wastney
029 909 2715