Other

National advocacy strategy under way to boost support for vulnerable children in England

1 min read Social Care Legal
Vulnerable children in England are set to benefit from a national advocacy strategy under development by a group led by the children's commissioner for England and the outgoing chief executive of charity Voice.

John Kemmis, who retired from the advocacy charity this month after more than a decade at the helm, said the strategy will aim to set out training requirements and standards for advocacy services across England.

According to Kemmis, while much has been achieved in recent years in recognising the importance of independent advocacy for children, huge disparities remain in the quality and availability of support.

"We've established that advocacy is something that matters as well as understanding the importance of involving children more in decisions about their own lives, but there is a way to go," he said.

Kemmis said that initiatives such as children in care councils, introduced by Labour under the Care Matters reforms in 2007, are a positive move but more needs to be done to ensure independent support is available to all young people who need it. Wales currently has a national strategy for advocacy, but Kemmis is keen to see this replicated in England.

Register Now to Continue Reading

Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's Included

  • Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month

  • Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector

Register

Already have an account? Sign in here


More like this

Hertfordshire Youth Workers

“Opportunities in districts teams and countywide”

Administration Apprentice

SE1 7JY, London (Greater)