It reformed the office of the Children's Commissioner as the Office of the Children's Commissioner (OCC) and implemented the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is attached as Schedule 2 of the Act.

[1][2] In August 2022, the Children's Commissioner Act was repealed by the Children and Young People's Commission Act 2022, which established the Children and Young People's Commission.

[3] The Children's Commissioner Act 2003 repealed Part 9 of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 (then known as the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989), which had hitherto established the functions and responsibilities of the former "Commissioner for Children."

[1][4][5] The legislation also establishes the OCC as a Crown entity under the provisions of the Crown Entities Act 2004.

[1] Other key provisions include: The Children's Commissioner Act was repealed by the Children and Young People's Commission Act 2022, which received royal assent on 29 August 2022.