Gateshead's Advocacy Offer for Children and Young People

"Advocacy…is about empowering children and young people to make sure their rights are respected and that their views and wishes are fully considered and reflected in decision-making about their own lives." Get it Sorted, 2004

Children and young people have the right to have a say about what happens to them, and for their views to be taken into account. Under Sections 24d and 26 of the 1989 Children Act, the Local Authority has a duty to provide advocacy for Looked After children who want to make a representation.

The Advocacy Services and Representations Procedures (Children) (Amendment) Regulations 2004 outline the duty given to Local Authorities to make arrangements for the provision of advocacy services for children and young people who are Looked After.

The role of an Advocate is to represent the views of a child or young person by: 

• Listening to children and young people when there is something they are unhappy about and helping to get it sorted;
• Representing the views of a child or young person where there is a serious matter the young person wants to see addressed, or if they want to make a formal complaint.

An Advocate can provide advice on ways of resolving a situation, talk to the relevant people about the issue the young person wants resolved, or support the young person to do this themselves. An Advocate works solely on behalf of the young person and represent his or her views – without any conflict of interest.

Looked After children, young people leaving care and other vulnerable children in need can access advocacy support through the Local Authority.

There are various forms of advocacy including: self advocacy - a person expressing their own needs and representing their own interests; case or crisis advocacy - undertaken by paid advocates who provide an immediate short-term response to an identified issue; citizen advocacy - an ongoing partnership between a trained volunteer and a person who is not in a strong position to exercise their rights; peer advocacy - support from people who have had similar life experiences.

The Children’s Rights Officer exists to make sure that children and young people in care know their rights and are fairly treated. The service provides information, help and advice over the phone, by letter or by visiting young people. The service produces and distributes information to looked after children about their rights and what they can expect from the Children’s Services. If a child or young person has an issue they can contact the Children’s Rights Officer directly. The Children’s Rights Officer regularly visits children’s residential homes.

Family and Friends - Looked after children and young people can ask someone they know to help them resolve an issue or speak on their behalf if they want. This could be a relative, teacher, youth worker or friend. However if there is a conflict of interest it might not be appropriate for that person to act as an advocate for the young person. The Children’s Rights Officer can give young people information to help them decide whether it is better for them to have informal advocacy from someone they know or to use another form of advocacy.

Peer advocacy – One Voice Youth Network gives looked after children opportunities to get involved in reviewing and developing services and expressing their ideas and views through a range of creative arts projects.

Externally-commissioned advocacy provision - Where a looked after child wishes to make a complaint or a representation under Section 24d or 26 of the 1989 Children’s Act they are entitled to support from a formal, independent advocate if they wish. In Gateshead this advocacy is provided by an externally commissioned advocacy organisation: The National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS). The process for this is outlined in the flowchart at Appendix 1: Advocacy Flowchart.

Independent Visitors are trained and supported volunteers who have statutory duties established in the 1989 Children Act to visit, advise and befriend children. Their role is to provide a positive adult influence in the life of the child. Contact with an Independent Visitor is usually initiated if this is regarded as a need at the child’s LAC review. A young person may ask his or her Independent Visitor to speak on his or her behalf, or to help resolve a difficulty, in the same way they might ask someone else they know to act as an advocate. In Gateshead Independent Visitors are provided by an externally commissioned organisation. If a young person would like to access the service please contact the Children’s Commissioning Team.

See also Independent Visitors Policy.

Gateshead’s Disabled Children's Involvement Worker supports disabled children and young people to express their views and be heard. The Involvement Worker uses a range of communication tools to support young people, including widget, picture exchange symbols (PECS), Makaton, pictures, photographs, videos.

She spends time building up a relationship with individual children to help them communicate their views at reviews and in care planning. The Involvement Worker also spends time in special schools, finding out what services the young people access and if there are reasons why they are not accessing services they want or need.

Externally-commissioned advocacy provision - If a disabled child wishes to make a complaint or a representation under Section 24d or 26 of the 1989 Children’s Act they are entitled to support from a formal, independent advocate if they wish. In Gateshead the advocacy service is provided by NYAS which is an externally commissioned advocacy organisation who can provide specialist advocates for children with complex communication needs. NYAS contact number is 0808 808 1001. The process for this is outlined in the flowchart at Appendix 1: Advocacy Flowchart.