Independent Advocacy with Children and Young People

Unit summary

The unit will support learners to develop the skills and knowledge required to provide independent advocacy to children and young people, particularly:

? children in need

? children who are looked after by the local authority

? children who are involved in family group or child protection conferences

? young people in the secure estate

? disabled children and young people

? children and young people in education

? children and young people receiving mental health support.

Learning outcomes Assessment

1 Provide Independent Advocacy support to children and young people

1.1 Analyse which groups of children and young people access advocacy support

1.2 Analyse the roles and responsibilities of a children’s advocate

1.3 Assess a range of common advocacy issues for children and young people

1.4 Respond to a range of common advocacy issues

1.5 Identify a range of dilemmas children’s advocates can face in practice

1.6 Respond to practice dilemmas

1.7 Support children and young people to self-advocate

1.8 Select and use skills to support children and young people to express their wishes, feelings and preferred course(s) of action

1.9 Distinguish between best interests and wishes and feelings

1.10 Select and apply relevant standards which govern the service and practitioner

1.11 Use a variety of methods to communicate with children and young people

1.12 Recognise the impact on communication of behaviour,emotional state, feelings, confidence and of gender

1.13 Make positives endings when the advocacy relationship finishes

2 Use UK, European and International legislation to promote children’s rights

2.1 Summarise key principles and powers in a range of legislation and guidance affecting children

2.2 Use the Children Act 1989 and 2004 to identify a range of safeguards and rights

2.3 Use opportunities to promote the rights of children and young people

2.4 Explain to young people the rights they are entitled to claim

2.5 Empower young people with strategies to claim rights

3 Respond to requests for advocacy support

3.1 Identify a range of people who can refer to children’s advocates

3.2 Implement child-friendly referral processes

3.3 Refer to a range of support services

4 Assist the child or young person to explore choices and potential consequence

4.1 Use UK and European legislation to identify children’s service, ethical and legal rights

4.2 Treat the child as an individual and accept their preferred choices

4.3 Access information to allow children and young people to make informed choices

4.4 Support children and young people who wish to make complaints or representations about the services they receive

4.5 Support children and young people to understand the potential short-, medium- and long-term consequences of the choice(s) they are making.

5 Support children and young people through a range of meetings and decision-making processes

5.1 Explain the purpose and function of a range of meetings

5.2 Summarise the role of an Independent Advocate within a range of meetings

5.3 Attend a range of meetings

5.4 Support a child or young person to attend a range of meetings

5.5 Represent a child or young person at meetings

5.6 Support a young person to have his/her voice heard at a range of meetings

5.7 Support a young person to evaluate the outcomes of a range of meetings

6 Engage with professionals 6.1 Explain the role of a children’s advocate to a range of people

6.2 Summarise a range of services and systems children and young people are likely to come into contact with

6.3 Represent the views and wishes of children and young people to professionals responsible for making decisions

6.4 Summarise the roles and responsibilities of a range of people who support children and young people

6.5 Explain jargon and terminology to children and young people

7 Use child protection systems to keep children and young people safe

7.1 Explain the role of Safeguarding Boards

7.2 Summarise local child protection procedures

7.3 Use child protection procedures to identify when it is appropriate to disclose information and breach confidentiality

7.4 Respond to disclosures or concerns of abuse