Advocacy and independent visiting services

Proposal

What is an advocate?

You have a right to get your voice heard via an advocate.

• Advocates are independent: they don't work for Shropshire Council
  
• Advocates listen to what you want, inform you of your rights and empower you to get your voice heard
• Advocates ensure that your wishes and feelings are expressed and acted upon to improve your situation
• Advocates work just for you and are on your side
• They help you to be actively involved in decisions that affect your life
• No problem is too big or too small

What is independent visiting?

Independent visitors are volunteers from within the local community who support children who are 'looked after'.

Following an introduction visit, the independent visitor and child or young person then meet up on a monthly basis to do an activity that they've agreed on.

We're currently reviewing arrangements for providing advocacy and the independent visiting service so that we can develop our future plans for delivery of these services.

We'll be inviting organisations to bid to deliver these services from October 2024 when the current contract ends.

Feedback from this survey will help us better understand what's working well and what could be improved in the future to better meet people's needs. It will inform our approach to the new contract that will start in October 2024.

Who is this survey is for?

• Those living in the Shropshire Council area
• Children who are looked after by Shropshire Council
• Children with child protection plans
• Children with child in need plans
• Care leavers
• People who have used the service, but also those who have not

What is this survey about?

We want to hear from anyone who has had some experience of receiving support from the local or national advocacy and independent visiting services. We also want to hear from people who have not used the services. We want to understand what's working well and what could be improved in the future to better meet people's needs.

What else do you need to know?

Your answers will be confidential and anonymised, and won't affect any entitlement to other services.

We want to ensure that...

• Advocacy is led by the views, wishes and feelings of children and young people
• Children and young people are active partners in the design, delivery, and evaluation of advocacy services

Children and young people who may be unable to give instructions on a specific issue have their rights articulated and championed through non-instructed advocacy.

Click on the 'How to get involved tab' to have your say.