Advocacy

An advocate is an independent person who helps you speak up for yourself. They also give advice, make you aware of your rights, listen to you and represent your views, wishes and feelings.

An advocate will support you so that you can have your say about the care and services you receive.

You can get an advocate if you are a:

• child or young person in care
• care leaver
• child or young person who has a disability and receives help from a social worker
• child or young person aged 12 or over involved in a child protection conference
• child or young person aged 7 or over involved in your first Child Looked After review
• child or young person wishing to make a complaint about West Sussex Children’s Services

An advocate can help you when you:

• are too scared to speak up in your review meeting because there are adults speaking in a way you don’t understand
• are angry that a decision has been made and you don’t agree with it
• want to move from your current placement, carer or supported lodgings
• don’t want to move again
• are confused about what is going to happen in your child protection conference
• really want others to understand how you feel about something
• want to complain about something

An advocate will help you speak up for yourself, to get things stopped, started or changed. They will listen to you and put across your views.

Your advocate will:

• listen to you and find out if you have a problem or worry
• help you understand what your choices are and what people are saying
• ask you what help you want
• help you to sort out your problem or worry the way you want and make sure people are listening to you

You can ask the advocate to speak to people on your behalf or come with you to meetings.