The Scottish Government has recently launched a consultation exercise on improving advocacy for children and young people.

The purpose of this consultation exercise is to propose principles and minimum standards for advocacy, and to seek views on whether or not these are necessary and suitable.

Advocacy supports children and young people to exercise their rights by ensuring that their voices, views and perspectives can be expressed, understood and presented. This means they will be listened to and their views will be taken into account in decisions which affect them.

Advocacy can support children and young people in formal situations such as complaint processes, tribunals, Children’s Hearings and court proceedings. It can also support them in more informal situations where having their voices heard can make a difference to their lives at home, in access to services and in their communities.

The principles proposed in the consultation document are:

Principle 1: Children and young people’s rights protected
Advocacy is conducted in such a way as to promote and protect the rights of children and young people including their right to be heard.

Principle 2: Children and young people’s voices heard
Advocacy supports children and young people’s voices, views and perspectives to be listened to, respected and presented in order for them to be given due weight by those involved in decision making and service provision.

Principle 3: Children and young people’s access to advocacy
Advocacy is available where and when children need it. It is provided to children and young people from the age of 0 to 18 years in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and up to the age of 25 years where this is appropriate. Children and young people have the right to choose their own
advocate.

Principle 4: Advocacy support is free from conflicts of interest
Advocates are completely loyal to their advocacy partner. They are clear about their role and functions.

Principle 5: Provision of high quality advocacy support
Advocacy for children and young people is of the highest quality.