Children’s

Advocacy


We offer Children’s Services in St Helens and Salford. To find out more about what service we offer in each area, check out our ‘Where We Work’ section.

If you are a child or young person, see what services may be available to you here.

Advocates encourage the empowerment of children by finding out how they feel and what they want, they can also help the child understand what is happening and why. Our Advocates work completely independent from health and social services or associated service providers.


Commission Us

What is the role of a Children’s Advocate?

Our Advocates can:

  • Communicate the wishes and feelings of a child or young person
  • Attend decision making meetings with the Local Authority or school
  • Uphold their legal rights and human rights, ensuring that they are fairly treated
  • Easily explain information or processes that are happening in a way they understand
  • Assist them in making a complaint
  • Signpost to relevant services and ask questions to the relevant person on the child or young person’s behalf

National Standards for the Provision of Childrens' Advocacy Services 2002

In 2002, the Department of Health released national standards for all advocacy providers and those providers involved in all decision making processes for children.

They state:

  • Advocacy is led by the views and wishes of children and young people
  • Advocacy champions the rights and needs of children and young people.
  • All advocacy services have clear policies to promote equalities issues and monitor services that ensure no young person is being discriminated against due to age, gender, race, culture, religion, language, disability or sexual orientation.
  • Advocacy is well-publicised, accessible and easy to use.
  • Advocacy gives help and advice quickly when they are requested.
  • Advocacy works exclusively for children and young people.
  • Advocacy services are confidential.
  • Advocates to listen to the views and ideas of young people to improve the service provided.
  • Advocacy services must have an effective and easy to use complaints procedure.
  • Advocacy services must be well managed and good value for money.

Are children and young people entitled to an Advocate?

Children and young people do not have a legal right to an advocate but certain situations do specify a need for an Advocate such as for children who are in care.

The Children Act 1989 gives children and young people who are in care the right to make representations and complaints to the Local Authority about their care arrangements. Here, an Advocate can help guide the child through the process and act on their behalf to communicate their needs and wishes.

Support Us

Our Childrens’ advocacy service is currently very limited and only available via a small number of local contracts.  It is an area of advocacy that we are keen to develop so we can achieve our mission of ‘Advocacy for All’.  If you can help support us to achieve this and provide a service for people when they face their most challenging times, then please donate here.

Get in Touch

If you wish to commission this type of advocacy, please contact us via the details below.

For more information on our Childrens’ Advocacy Services please contact us on 0300 323 0965 or email admin@advocacyfocus.org.uk

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