15-129 Advocacy for Young People involved in Child Protection Processes

Rotherham Borough Council is to commission independent professional advocacy which will support young people to be heard, express their opinions, wishes and feelings and play a central role in their life choices. The service will be provided to young people aged age 8 years and over to provide individual professional issue focused, time-limited advocacy to help them ensure they are heard, resolve a problem, make a decision or attend a child protection conference/statutory meeting. It should include advocacy at times of crisis, which will require a response within 24 hours and which may take place out of normal office hours and should be available on demand. The service specified will be available to children and young people currently subject to a child protection plan or step-down to a child in need plan. The service provider should also support service users to develop their own self knowledge, skills, interests, preferences and development options through self-advocacy. Self-advocacy promotes control, rights and responsibility, and the development of personal goals and outcomes. It is expected that self-advocacy would be supported by related activity - group and peer advocacy. The service provider is expected to make available advocates who reflect the demographic profile of the population. A dedicated advocate should be allocated to each young person.

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