CYP(3)-AS-23
Steve Thomas
Chief Executive
Prif Weithredwr
Welsh Local Government Association
Local Government House
Drake Walk
Cardiff CF10 4LG
Tel: 029 2046 8600
Fax: 029 2046 8601
Cymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru
Tŷ Llywodraeth Leol
Rhodfa Drake
Caerdydd CF10 4LG
Ffôn: 029 2046 8600
Ffacs: 029 2046 8601
www.wlga.gov.uk
Our Ref/Ein Cyf:
Your Ref/Eich Cyf:
Date/Dyddiad: 4th January 2008
Please ask for/Gofynnwch am: Dr. Chris Llewelyn
Direct line/Llinell uniongyrchol: 029 2046 8600
Email/Ebost: Chris.llewelyn@wlga.gov.uk
Helen Mary Jones AM, Chair
Children and Young People Committee
National Assembly for Wales
Cardiff
Dear Helen Mary,
Evidence to the Children and Young People’s Committee
The WLGA is pleased to be invited to give evidence to the Children and Young People’s Committee regarding the review of advocacy services. The Association hopes that the evidence submitted will prove constructive in informing your final report.
WLGA officers will be attending the Committee on the 31st January, alongside advisors from the Association of Directors of Education Wales (ADEW) and the Association of Directors of Social Services (ADSS Cymru) and will provide more detailed evidence at the session.
Please see below for the written evidence submission from the WLGA:
There seems to be widespread consensus that Advocacy services should be Independent. How do you think advocacy services should be commissioned to ensure a level of independence that gives children and young people confidence and builds trust in the system at the same time as providing services which are flexible and responsive?
The WLGA recognises that it is vital that children and young people have confidence in the independence of the advocacy service provided for them. The WLGA sees the Children and Young People’s Partnerships as best placed for commissioning advocacy services for children and young people in Wales.
Children and Young People’s Partnerships are statutory partnerships tasked to jointly plan and provide services in order to improve outcomes for children and young people in Wales. As part of the Children and Young People Plan (CYPP), partnerships are required to complete comprehensive needs assessments and service profiling, giving them a thorough understanding of the local context within which an appropriate service can be commissioned. The CYPP are structured around the seven core aims for children and young people. Participation in decision making, core aim 5, provides the context for advocacy within the framework of participation and will promote the context of listening to the views of children and young people. In addition the partnerships ensure collaboration between different agencies from across the public and voluntary sector, including commissioners, providers, parents and children and young people. The partnerships therefore have the necessary robustness and independence to ensure that effective advocacy services are commissioned locally.
The CYP Partnerships are well placed to work collaboratively with other partnerships where appropriate and the new model needs to be flexible to allow regional working arrangements when required. In some areas of Wales, commissioning and delivery of advocacy could be more effective and efficient if organised on a regional basis. However, it should be for the CYP Partnerships, at a local level, to decide if this model is appropriate for their children and young people and resources should not be dependent on all CYP Partnerships undertaking a regional working model.
In terms of funding local services, CYP Partnerships are encouraged under the Children Act 2004 to pool budgets to maximise resources, thus providing greater opportunity for partnership working and shared accountability. Joint budgets for advocacy services could help to create a sense of shared responsibility across agencies and could lead to the development of more accessible services for children and young people.
The WLGA sees the role of advocacy as providing a mechanism for children and young people to be listened to and valued. Developing a participatory model of advocacy builds trust and confidence in the ability of the service to represent the child or young person. The CYP Partnerships are well placed to commission services from independent advocacy service providers who share this ethos and who will work with the child or young person to build trust in the service.
The WLGA strongly advocates that any proposed inspection and monitoring arrangements reflect and support the partnership agenda, building on existing structures without adding additional, unnecessary burdens on local authorities or their partner agencies.
The Assembly Government consultation document suggests a New Service Model which places responsibility for local and regional planning and commissioning of advocacy services with Children and Young People’s Partnerships in each local authority area. The document also proposes the establishment of a Children’s Advocacy Unit. The Unit will not have commissioning responsibilities or powers of inspection or enforcement. Rather it will be a national resource to support and oversee the New Service Model and ensure compliance with the National Minimum Standards for the provision of Children’s Advocacy Services.
1. Do you think the service model as outlines is adequate to meet its stated aim of ensuring more 'independent and accessible advocacy services in which Children and Young people can have confidence?’
It is imperative that advocacy services for children and young people are delivered locally, determined by need and informed by the local service users. By placing the responsibility for commissioning with the CYP Partnerships the model can provide independent services that are locally relevant to meet the needs of all children and young people.
Currently, there is the view that advocacy services are relevant only to children and young people who are looked after or in the social care system. However, other specialist advocacy provision also exists, notably for children and young people with additional learning needs for which education takes the lead. The WLGA believes that independent advocacy should be available to all children and young people and be the responsibility of a variety of agencies, including social services, education and health. It is these agencies that make up the CYP Partnerships and who are, therefore, best placed to commission independent and accessible advocacy services taking into account relevant specialisms.
The CYP Partnerships have a statutory duty to consult with children and young people on the development of the CYPP. This process of consultation builds trust and confidence in the services delivered by the CYP Partnerships. Therefore, placing the responsibility for commissioning of advocacy with the partnerships will provide children and young people with the opportunity to engage in service planning.
2. What are your views on the Children’s Advocacy Unit as outlined in the consultation document. What role and function would you like to see the National Advocacy Unit taking?
The WLGA recognises the potential value of a dedicated national support resource. Clarity is needed, however, regarding the role and function of any newly established national unit. Reassurance would also be needed that the unit would not divert resources from frontline service delivery, especially in the context of an extremely difficult financial climate for local government.
In determining the role and value of a proposed unit, it may be more prudent to utilise existing mechanisms such as the Partnership Support Unit. The PSU is a WAG funded, national support resource, working with the CYP Partnerships to support all aspects of implementing the Children and Young People’s Plan, of which advocacy and participation are core elements. It has the necessary skills and expertise to advise partnerships on the development and implementation of policies for advocacy.
Further comment will be made at the evidence session at Committee on 31st January 2008. If a more detailed written response is required please contact Dr. Chris Llewelyn, Director of Lifelong Learning at the WLGA.
Yours Sincerely,
Steve Thomas
Chief Executive
