Family lawyer will replace Tam Baillie

MSPs are set to name Bruce Adamson as commissioner for children and young people in Scotland on Tuesday.

Adamson, currently legal officer at the Scottish Human Rights Commission, will replace Tam Baillie who has served the office for the maximum six years.

A lawyer who originally hails from New Zealand, Adamson has over 20 years of experience working in children’s rights.

In 2013 he was the United Nations representative for the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, representing institutions from over 100 countries to improve human rights in Scotland and across the world.

He has also acted as an international expert for the Council of Europe, the European Union and the Organisation for Security and Coperation in Europe, working in emerging democracies in the western Balkans and Ukraine, as well as having been involved in a number of international projects.

The position is full-time for six years with a salary of £70,000.

Scotland's children's commissioner has statutory powers to undertake investigations into the rights and responsibilities of service providers which affect children and young people.

The powers will be extended this year giving the commissioner the power to carry out an investigation into a matter raised by an individual child or young person, as well as groups of children or children and young people in general.