TD1989 - Childrens' Rights Service

Re-Procure following service:

The Children's Rights Service has 3 key elements to support this vulnerable group of children and young people:

1. Advocacy - 1-2-1 support/representation for children and young people in care, Care leavers and children in need.

2. Independent Visitors - Supporting the young people they are matched with and helping them when they are facing difficulties in their lives or new challenges.

3. Independent Advocacy at Child Protection Conferences - supporting a child or young person to participate in the conference, attending the conference either with or on behalf of the young person to assist them in expressing their wishes and feelings and acting as a liaison with both the social care worker and the chair.

The Service aims to have a positive impact on overall life chances and placement stability by:

• ensuring the views of children and young people are well represented and where required;

• providing appropriate advocacy;

• providing befriending outside individual care placements;

• Representation in Child Protection conferences.

The referrals for this service come from social care, internal and external residential and fostering provisions and will encourage self-referral from individuals and families.

This is a statutory service that as corporate parent we have a duty to provide.