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Child Advocacy

pcollyer93
Mar 13
4 min read

What is a child advocate?

A child advocate can offer advice and support to a child or young person. The main purpose of a child advocate is to enable child to express their wishes and feelings. The aim of child advocacy is to encourage the empowerment of children and uphold their human rights.

A child advocate cannot represent the child in legal court proceedings although they may be called upon to give evidence at some cases.

What does Bravespace offer?

Make sure a child or young person’s wishes and feelings are known
Attend decision making meetings with the local authority or school on behalf of a child or young person
Uphold a child or young person’s legal rights and ensure they are fairly treated
Provide impartial information to the child or young person
Prepare meetings with social workers for the child or young person
Assist the child or young person in making a complaint in a constructive and effective manner
Negotiate with social workers and other relevant people
Ask questions to relevant people and speak on the child or young person’s behalf

What should you expect from a Bravespace advocate?

To control the quality of children’s advocacy services, the Department for Education released National Standards for the Provision of Children’s Advocacy Services. These advocacy standards were created to help agencies and councils to support looked after children and young people. The standards below set out a minimum level of what is to be expected from a professional advocacy service:

Standard 1: Bravespace is led by the views, wishes and feelings of child
Standard 2: Children are active partners in the design, delivery and evaluation of advocacy services
Standard 3: Children and young people who may be unable to give instructions on a specific issue have their rights articulated and championed through non-instructed advocacy
Standard 4: Bravespace advocates ensure the child’s views, wishes and feelings are known, understood and considered in decisions. They champion and protect the rights of children
Standard 5: Bravespace have the values, knowledge, skills, experience and training to meet these standards. Their conditions of employment, including supervision and continuing professional development, support high quality professional practice
Standard 6: Bravespace services are committed to equality of opportunity and inclusion and advocates are recruited from a wide range of backgrounds
Standard 7: Bravespace services are independent and accessible. They operate to the highest level of confidentiality and ethical practice
Standard 8: Bravespace services have an easy-to-use complaints procedure which ensures children are listened to, their concerns are taken seriously and they understand the outcome. Advocacy services are transparent and open when things go wrong
Standard 9: Bravespace services have effective safeguarding and whistleblowing arrangements
Standard 10: Bravespace services are well-managed and effective. They have sufficient resources to meet the needs of children and young people and are used effectively

Is my child entitled to an advocate?

The Children Act 1989 gives the right to looked after children to make representations and complaints to the local authority regarding their care arrangements. Looked after children means those who are in care by agreement of a parent or under a court order.

This is further reinforced in the Adoption and Children Act 2002 which places a duty on local authorities to assist looked after children who want to make a complaint. This duty is interpreted in the Advocacy Services and Representations Procedure (Children) (Amendment) Regulations 2004 to mean that the local authority must provide advocacy services to looked after children who wish to make a complaint about their care.

Government Guidance states that consideration should be given to securing an advocate for any looked after child who has difficulty expressing their views.

The IRO Handbook places a duty on an IRO to make a child aware of their right to advocacy; it also states that advocacy is an option available to looked after children whenever they want to have such support and not just when they wish to make a complaint.

Other groups of children and young people may be legally entitled to an advocate to help express their views in certain circumstances.

Can an advocate attend a Child Protection Conference?

There is no legal right to have an advocate attend a Child Protection Conference. However, child advocates are included as one of the accepted professionals to attend a Child Protection Conference. This is reinforced in the Government guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children.

If the Local Authority refused to allow your Advocate to attend the meeting, you should raise these concerns with your Local Safeguarding Children Board or the Local Government Ombudsman.

Can an advocate share information without permission?

Advocates should keep all details of conversations between themselves and the child or young person private and confidential. If any information is recorded, the child or young person should be made aware of any recording device and how their personal information is going to be used. If children do not want their parents to know certain details about them, then these wishes should be upheld by the advocate.

The only exception to sharing information is when there is a serious risk of harm to the child’s safety. When there are genuine safeguarding concerns for a child, the advocate should look to disclose information to local authorities, the police or the NSPCC.

All Bravespace advocates would be trained in or working towards the following.

• Child Development and Trauma

• Legal and Ethical Issues in Child Advocacy

• Multidisciplinary Team Approach

• Interviewing Techniques

• Medical Evaluation of Child Abuse

• Child Advocacy Centre Models

• Child Abuse Prevention

• Cultural Competency in Child Advocacy

• Trauma-Informed Care

Clear Transparent Pricing

Advocacy at court is usually funded by HMCTS. Advocacy outside court (such as advocacy in meetings with legal representatives ) is often funded by the Legal Aid Agency (LAA). Following acceptance of a referral, Bravespace Advocacy Services can provide a detailed quote for you to submit to HMCTS or the LAA. Proof of agreed funding will be required.

Prices

Advocacy outside court £35 per hour.

Advocacy in court £40 per hour.

Mileage is charged at 45p per mile

Please note that an agreed price cannot be discounted should a court hearing or meeting finish earlier than anticipated. The agreed fee is payable should a court hearing be adjourned on the day of the hearing or should the client fail to attend.