New statutory guidance means children in care, children in need and care leavers should now be offered an advocate without having to ask, and not only when they want to complain.
In my latest piece for Children and Young People Now I set out what has changed. The guidance replaces Get it Sorted, which since 2004 had focused on advocacy for children making a complaint. Local authorities must offer an advocate at regular points, including reviews, after restraint, seclusion or a full search, and around school exclusion and homelessness at 16 or 17. Annual complaints reports must now show how many children used an advocate at each stage of the procedure.
The test for every local authority will be whether children meet their advocate while decisions about them are still being made, or only once they have decided to complain.
