Advocacy and Independent Visitor Services

This service will support to the strategic priority of protecting children from significant harm by providing children in care who do not have any, or limited, contact with their birth families, or where it is considered to be in the best interest of a child, with an adult to visit, advise and befriend them. These services will make a significant contribution to the priorities for development identified in the Corporate Parenting Strategy which includes; • Educational aspiration, progress and attainment • Participation and advocacy; • Further improving the access of care leavers to education, training and employment; • Increasing the range of safe moving-on accommodation for care leavers; • Refreshing the Transitions Policy • Further improving access for care leavers to specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services - CAMHS. Services for young people In Care will also ensure the following seven pledges to Children and Young People in Care are actively promoted; • To find the best available home for you • To help you stay in touch with your family and friends • To help you stay healthy • To support you to do your best at school and college • To help and support you to move on from care • To help you to participate and make sure your voice is heard in the decisions about you • To help you stay and feel safe