What we do
Advocacy in Child Protection
The Leeds Children’s Rights Service is able to offer Advocacy support for children and young people, aged 5 to 18 years old, in Leeds who are being supported by a Social Worker on a Child Protection Plan.
This service is aimed at supporting children and young people to ensure that their wishes and feelings are being heard at Child Protection meetings. The advocate is able to support children and young people by attending Child Protection meetings on their behalf or supporting them during the meeting, if they have the option to attend. The advocate is separate from Social Workers, teachers and parents / carers, and is there to act as the voice of the child / young person. The advocate will also support the child or young person by ensuring that they are kept informed of what is happening and decisions that are being made, in a way that is easy for the child / young person to understand. The advocate can meet with the child or young person in a place that they feel comfortable talking to them, such as school or college or their home.
This support is voluntary and is entirely up to the child or young person if they would like to have an Advocate.
If you think you or someone that you know, whether that’s a family member or someone you are supporting as part of your role, would benefit from this support then please contact our team on 07808 736330 or email [email protected]
We can help with
- We provide one-to-one support for children and young people looked-after by their local authority. We also help other young people in need of support, such as those on a child protection plan. Our mental health advocacy services work with children and young people receiving or wanting mental health support. Children and young people have a right to be heard and involved in decisions about them, so we support them by explaining their wishes and arguing their case. We also provide activities and training for families and professionals.
- Find out more about Advocacy and participation (children in care)
- Search for Advocacy and participation (children in care) services
- Barnardo's offers a range of services to support children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) and their families. This includes Independent Supporters who advise and guide parents and young people through SEN education, health and care assessment processes. We offer a range of time-limited support, tailored to the particular needs of individual families and young people.
- Find out more about Independent support service
- Search for Independent support service services