Patricia Lewsley facts for kids

Patricia Lewsley-Mooney is an important person from Northern Ireland. She was born on March 3, 1957. Patricia is known for her work helping children and young people. From 2007 to 2014, she was the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People. Before that, she was a politician. She served as a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for Lagan Valley from 1998 to 2006.

About Patricia Lewsley-Mooney

Patricia Lewsley-Mooney was born in Belfast. She studied at the University of Ulster. Before becoming a politician, she worked as a cook. She also helped people by giving advice. Patricia is married and has five children. She also has six grandchildren.

Her Work in Politics

Patricia Lewsley-Mooney joined the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP). She first tried to get elected in 1997. This was for local elections in Belfast, but she was not successful then.

Becoming an Assembly Member

In 1998, Patricia was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly. She represented the Lagan Valley area. She kept this seat in the 2003 election. As an MLA, she worked on many important issues. She led groups that focused on children and young people. Other groups she chaired were about Disability, Diabetes, and fighting poverty. She also worked on issues for Ethnic minorities.

Protecting Children

In 2002, Patricia was planning to introduce a new law. This law would have made child protection stronger in Northern Ireland. It aimed to make sure that groups protecting children had official power. However, the Assembly was stopped from meeting that day.

Local Government Role

In 2001, Patricia was also elected to the Lisburn City Council. She helped start an organization called Shopmobility in Belfast. This group helps people with disabilities move around more easily. She also helped create a special job in local government. This job was for an officer focused on disability and equal opportunities.

Commissioner for Children

On December 19, 2006, Patricia left her role as an MLA. She took on a new and very important job. On January 8, 2007, she became the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People. In this role, she worked to protect the rights of children. She served two terms, each lasting four years. Her time as Commissioner ended in January 2015.

Honors and Awards

In 2015, Patricia Lewsley-Mooney received a special award. She was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This award was given for her great work. It recognized her services to children's rights in Northern Ireland.