Dame Rachel de Souza

Dame Rachel de Souza is the Children’s Commissioner for England. She’s the fourth person to take on this role, which was established in 2004 to promote and protect the rights of all children. Before becoming the Commissioner in 2021, she worked as a teacher and headteacher, and was credited with improving failing schools in less than privileged areas. In her current post, she’s said that her priority is to listen to children, to hear about their lives and champion their voices – and she’s focused on big and difficult questions, including mental health, online safety and the strip-searching of children by the police. Rachel's music includes Handel, Tippett, Messiaen and Beethoven.