Black Country Advocacy for Children and Young People

Descriptions

City of Wolverhampton Council, Sandwell Children's Trust and Walsall MBC has jointly commissioned an advocacy service for children and young people in receipt of social care services: this includes looked after children, children in need and care leavers to meet their statutory obligation to provide such a service and to promote involvement of children and young people in care planning.

The service will provide an advocacy service for children and young people in receipt of social care services, no matter the type of setting in which they are placed, that empowers them to make sure that their rights are respected, and their views and wishes are heard at all times.

The provision will provide advocacy service to:

- Children and Young People in Care

- Care Leavers

- Children subject to a Child Protection Conference

- Family Help (including all children, Early Help and Children In Need)

- Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children who require an age assessment

- Children and Young People with disabilities

The service will operate in line with the Effective Advocacy for Looked-After Children, Children in Need and Care Leavers Statutory guidance for local authorities September 2023 and the National Standards for the Provision of Children and Young People's Advocacy Services September 2023.

Referrals to the Service will be made to the Service Provider by:

- Children or young people themselves if they are in receipt of social care services, or by children and young people with a disability receiving short breaks living with special educational needs and disability (SEND), or by any other person who does so with the knowledge and consent of the child or young person in care,

- Carer or professional in contact with child or young person meeting the children and young people in care criteria.

- Telephone, letter or personal contact.

The maximum total funding available for the delivery of this service is £945,000 including 2 years option to extend.