Author: Barnardos

Barnardo’s Children’s Advocacy and Participation service (CAPS) Championing the rights of Wakefield Young People since 1998

What we do at CAPS...

What is an Advocate?
Advocates are people who work for you, they help you work out what you want to say and how to say it. When decisions are being made about your future, an Advocate can make sure you are involved and listened to.
Advocates work only for you. We will always be on your side whatever you want to share. We want you to know your RIGHTS, and able to tell others what you WANT or NEED. You might need our support to go to a meeting with you or for you. You might need help to make a complaint or ask us to help you make a change. Advocates will support you with decisions that are being made about you and make sure your involved in those decisions.
Article 12 of The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Says:
Children have the right to be listened to, and taken seriously.

Who can have CAPS Advocacy support?
If Wakefield is your Local Authority and you are a child or young person aged 0-25yrs who
- Are n Care or Leaving care,
- Have Child Protection meetings,
- Have an Education Health and Care Plans,
- Have Special Education Needs Disability
- Work with the Youth Offending Team
Then you can have an Advocate.
You don’t have to live in Wakefield to work with us. If you are in care but live out of the
area we can come and see you there!
If you want an Advocate all you have to do is ring the team and we will work out together how we can support you.

Advocates at CAPS will:
Listen to you
Explain things that you don’t understand
Get answers to any questions you have
Make sure you know your rights
Get you heard in decisions being made about you.
Help you complain if you are not happy with your care or support
Help you work out if there is anything you want to STOP, START or CHANGE about your care or
support
Here for you when you need us.
Speak up for you.
Let people know what you think you need.
Make sure no decisions are made about you without you.
Advocates will not:
Make decisions for you
Tell you what to do or judge your views
Get you your own way!
Stay involved when no decisions are being made.

Independent Visitor Service
An Independent Visitor is a trained
volunteer who can spend quality time with a looked after child or young person.
Independent Visitors are people that will listen to you and help you gain more
confidence. Independent visitors are for young people that only really get to talk to
professionals.
You can do fun activities with your
Independent visitor, go to the Cinema, out for walks and visits to museums.
You can ask your Social worker, foster
carer or support worker to talk to us if you think you would like an
Independent Volunteer.

“People at the meetings listened to me and took me seriously – it felt like people had to listen to me and they didn’t before my Advocate came to the meetings”
Young person in care 2019.

“Children are supported effectively to take part in their reviews and have advocates to represent them. There is good use of independent visitors, particularly to support children living out of area. Children told inspectors how much they valued this service as they feel listened to, as a result empowered”
WMDC Children’s Services Inspection. OFSTED July 2018

‘Thank you so much for supporting (YP) to share her true wishes and feelings around contact. It was clear she was feeling guilty about wanting to reduce it but just couldn’t voice it. Your suggestions in how we should address this was excellent. Supervising Social Worker 2019

Confidentiality
The Advocate will only share what you say they can with other people because we only work for you. We would never share your information without you agreeing.
UNLESS you tell us something that means you or someone else is unsafe, in danger or is doing something against the law. We would have to tell others about this but would let you know and support you with this. Complaints. If you are unhappy with decisions that are being made or feel that you are not being listened to an Advocate can help you raise your complaint with the Local Authority. This might be informally – such as talking to a manager. Or formally this will be making a complaint to the complaints team to investigate your issues.

Our promise to you: At Barnardo’s Wakefield CAPS we are here to listen
and support you to put forward your voice and
ensure your rights are being upheld.

Ways to get in touch or find out more
Office number: 01977 552493
Freephone 0800 0121552
Email: WakefieldCAPS@barnardos.org.uk
Address: Wakefield CAPS Floor 2, Castleford
Civic Centre. Ferrybridge Road. Castleford WF10 4JH
Facebook Page: Barnardo’s Wakefield CAPS – Children’s Advocacy
Website: https://www.barnardos.org.uk/childrensadvocacy.htm
We also have an out of hours helpline for young people in care who need advocacy support. 07825377513