Looked after children

The NYAS is national children’s rights charity. With over 25 years’ experience of providing advocacy and other services for children and young people.

Our mission statement :

"To enable children and young people to have a voice by providing independent and confidential advice, information and advocacy services"

NYAS complies with National Standards.

NYAS was one of the leading agencies in developing the framework for National Standards for the Provision of Children’s Advocacy Services, published by the Department of Health in 2002.

• NYAS believes children and young people have an intrinsic worth irrespective of race, language, religion, disability, gender or sexuality
• Children and young people have the right to be seen, heard and listened to and for their wishes and feelings to be given due weight
• Children and young people should be given opportunities to be heard in judicial and administrative processes concerning them

From April 2009, NYAS has been providing an Advocacy service in the county for children and young people who are:

• in care, up to age 18
• eligible care leavers, up to age 21
• taking part in Family Group Conferences

Advocacy is the process of one person helping another to represent their views and to speak “as if.”

An advocate enables the young person either to say what they want to say themselves or represent the issues and views on behalf of the young person. They ensure that the young person has been fully briefed and understands their rights and responsibilities.

• a long term supportive, “mentoring” relationship
• led by notions of what is “best” for the young person
• a decision-making role

We offer a confidential service to young people. We will only share information with others if we have the young person’s permission. Child protection concerns are always shared within recognised policy and procedure.

We work on the wishes and feelings of the young person, not a "best interests" approach.

We deal with a specific request or issue for a young person.

We put the child at the centre of what we do.

We are honest and realistic with young people as to what can be achieved by advocacy intervention.

We will always try to resolve issues on an informal level using negotiation and mediation skills with the immediate people or professionals involved.

If negotiation or mediation is not successful, we can support the young person to submit a complaint and help them understand the process.

NYAS offers:

• NYAS Freephone Helpline for young people:
  • Call: 0808 808 1001 Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, Saturday 9am to 4pm
  • Email: [email protected]
    
• access to NYAS Legal Services for young people and their advocates through the Helpline
• access to a range of advocates across the country
• information to the local authority regarding: issues facing young people (emerging themes) and outcomes of interventions

If you are making a referral for advocacy:

• gain the consent of the young person to make a referral
• referrals can be made by anybody: for example, young people, professionals, foster carers, RSW's etc.
• criteria for access to service needs to be met: looked after, care leaver, etc.
• referrals should be made to the NYAS Helpline
• we aim to allocate referrals to advocates within 24 hours
• information shared with us is likely to be shared with the young person

If you are making a referral for an Independent Visitor (IV):

• the criteria for access to service needs to be met, that is, the young person is looked after
• gain the consent of the young person to make a referral
• initial referrals to the NYAS Helpline can be made by anybody, but the young person’s social worker will have to make the formal referral, using a form
• following the initial referral to the Helpline, the Helpline Advisor will contact the local IV Co-ordinator
• the IV Co-ordinator will then send the referral pack to the young person’s social worker for completion
• the social worker should then complete the pack and return it to the local IV Co-ordinator
• the Co-ordinator will then work to “match” the young person to an IV

The Independent Visitor is:

• someone who visits regularly – once a month
• a long term befriender: a minimum of 2 years
• independent from social care
• someone who creates and shares new experiences – and has fun!
• a lay person or volunteer
• recruited, trained and supported by the local project following Safer Recruitment guidelines
• someone who befriends, supports, advises, encourages, and offers friendship on a 1-1 basis
• someone who spends time just with the child or young person
• someone who focuses only on the child or young person’s needs

All referrals go through the NYAS helpline: 0808 808 1001

Helpline staff will speak with the young person or professional and record the issue. They will then:

• in the case of an advocacy referral, contact the local Project Manager who will allocate an advocate as soon as possible
• in the case of an IV referral, contact the local Co-ordinator who will send out the referral pack to the young person’s social worker

NYAS
Tower House
1 Tower Road
Birkenhead
Wirral
CH41 1FF

Jo Gunson - Senior Advocate

Sara French - Independent Visitor Coordinator

Justine Cox - Central Service Manager