A new Commissioner for Children is yet to be appointed, three months after children were consulted on the matter and nine months after the term of office of incumbent Helen d’Amato officially expired.

Ms D’Amato, a former parliamentary secretary, had originally been appointed for a three-year term in May 2010.

The government is, however, planning to appoint her successor, and last November, it held a consultation exercise involving hundreds of children aged 9 to 17, asking them to describe what they wanted the next commissioner to be.

Their feedback was collated in a report, called “A voice for your voice” which was ultimately presented to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.

Children were looking for someone who was relatively young – the report cites an age range of 30 to 45. They did make an allowance for older candidates, but stressed that these had to be “young at heart”, energetic and able to communicate with children in their language.

All three commissioners for children so far have been women, and the children prefer this trend to continue. They argued that a mother would be ideal, since it would be easier for her to relate to their issues.

The children also suggested that the professional background of the next commissioner should either be that of a teacher – with a particular preference for personal social development (PSD) or guidance teachers – social workers or counsellors.

These criteria, arguably, leave no shortage of potential applicants, and drawing a comprehensive list is out of the question, but a few prominent candidates may still be named.

One possible choice is Sandra Cortis, the service manager for education psycho-social services in the Education Department.

The two education officers for PSD who have been involved in authoring the handbook for the teaching of PSD may also be an option, but both – Stephen Camilleri and Dunstan Hamilton – are men, falling foul of the criteria set by children.

The list of past and present PSD and guidance teachers is exhaustive, but a few more names can be put forward as possible candidates.

The Social Solidarity Ministry official who organised the consultation exercise, Lauraine Kenely, actually meets the criteria set by children as a former PSD teacher, but her appointment after helping to compile the report might raise eyebrows.

Two university lecturers may also be considered to be possible choices, although they are not within the age bracket set by the children.

One of them, Ruth Falzon, had designed the University of Malta’s PSD teacher-training programmes and PSD modules.

The other, Angela Abela, presently heads the university’s Department of Family Studies, and has recently co-authored a study on the relationship between Maltese adolescents and their parents.

That said, the government may opt to appoint someone who is politically affiliated to it – as was the case when Ms D’Amato was appointed – even though a number of workshops at the consultation exercise specified that they would not wish the next commissioner to be a political representative.

One such option would be Carmen Fearne, the mother of MP Chris Fearne and a social worker who has been appointed as chair of the Children and Young Persons Advisory Board, which is tasked with advising the minister responsible for family on care orders.

Another would be Maria Camilleri, the head teacher of the Mariam al Batool Islamic School and a special envoy of the Prime Minister to Arab countries who opted to turn down the €34,684 salary this appointment entailed. Ms Camilleri had also been mentioned as a possible candidate for the presidency.