Developing Advocacy for Children and Young People

Christine M. Oliver, MA, is a Senior Researcher at the Institute of Education, University of London, UK. She has recently completed the first national study of advocacy for children and young people in England, prepared for the UK Department of Health and the DfES. She has published several books on advocacy for children and young people. Elaine Chase is a senior research officer at the Thomas Coram Research Unit at the Institute of Education, University of London. She has worked as a practitioner and researcher promoting the health and well-being of children and young people, both in the UK and internationally for the past 17 years. The main focus of her research is the health and well being of children and young people, especially those who are at risk of marginalisation and disadvantage. Abigail Knight has been a researcher at the Institute of Education, University of London since 1995. Her research interests include the health and wellbeing of looked-after children and young people, disabled children and their families, and children's rights.

This collection of 12 articles describes new, innovative practices developed by children's advocates in health and social care. Contributors cover concepts and issues related to public policy and research, funding, patterns of advocacy, children's access to advocacy services, child protection case conferences, children's participation in family conferences, lessons from an evaluation of voice advocacy services, advocacy for children with disabilities (particularly those without speech), complaint procedures, family courts, and the ability of advocacy to give children and their families their own voices.

• Foreword. 1. Concepts, Public Policy and Research. Christine M. Oliver, Institute of Education, University of London, UK, and Jane Dalrymple, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK. 2. Setting the Scene: Funding, Patterns of Advocacy Provision and Children's Access to Advocacy Services. Christine M. Oliver, Institute of Education, University of London, UK. 3. An Analysis of the Role of Advocacy in Promoting Looked After Children's Participation in Statutory Reviews. Jane Boylan, Keele University, UK. 4. Advocacy in Child Protection Case Conferences. Jane Dalrymple, Institute of Education, University of London, UK, and Hilary Horan, Barnardo's, UK. 5. At the Table or Under the Table? Children's Participation in Family Group Conferences - A Comparative Study of the Use of Professional Advocates and Family Supporters. Sophie Laws and Perpetua Kirby, Consultant Researchers, UK. 6. Challenges and Complexities of Widening Access to Advocacy Services: Lessons from an Evaluation of Voice Advocacy Service. Elaine Chase, Institute of Education, University of London, UK. 7. Providing Advocacy for Disabled Children, Including Children Without Speech. Abigail Knight, Institute of Education, University of London, UK, and Christine M. Oliver. 8. Complaints and Children's Advocacy in Wales - Getting Behind the Rhetoric. Andy Pithouse, Cardiff University, UK and Ann Crowley, Consultant Researcher, UK. 9. Advocacy and Complaints Procedures: The Perspectives of Young People. Ann Crowley, Concultant Researcher, UK, and Andy Pithouse, Cardiff University, UK.. 10. The Family Court Process: Young People, Care Proceedings and Advocacy. Maureen Winn Oakley, National Youth Advocacy Service Children's Commissioner, Sandwell, UK, and Birmingham Children's Rights Service, UK. 11. The Impact of Advocacy. Christine M. Oliver, Institute of Education, University of London, UK. 12. Advocacy, Participation and Voice. Jane Dalrymple, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK, and Christine M. Oliver, Institute of Education, University of London, UK. Contributors. Subject Index. Author Index.