Children and Young People Committee calls for independent advocacy service.  

A Report on Advocacy Services for Young People in Wales from the Assembly’s Children and Young People Committee has called for an independent advocacy service for young people to be established as soon as possible.

The Committee’s report, Advocacy Services for Children and Young People in Wales, published today, makes a number of recommendations, including the establishment of a centrally funded national advocacy unit, with responsibility for commissioning independent advocacy services in local areas, and the involvement of children and young people when determining which advocacy providers should be awarded contracts for local areas.

In conducting their inquiry, Members of the Committee took evidence from a wide range of witnesses, including the Deputy Minister for Social Services, advocacy providers and commissioners, umbrella organisations, organisations representing young people and directly from young people through rapporteur visits to groups who use advocacy services.

The committee found that four main themes emerged during the inquiry, namely the need for independent advocacy; the need for skilled advocates; the need for accessible advocacy and the need for continuity of service, and have made recommendations to address these issues.

Chair of the Committee Helen Mary Jones AM said: “We often do not take the views of children and young people seriously enough, even if some of those young people over 16 are able to marry, join the Armed Forces and pay taxes. There is a responsibility on us as politicians to represent those without a voice and our children need to have the opportunity to voice their opinions and be listened to. Putting in place the best possible structures to enable independent advocacy will enable children to make themselves heard.”