The Scottish Government is currently undertaking a national consultation focussing on advocacy support for children and young people. That exercise launched on 14 November 2011 and focuses on the establishment of a set of principles and minimum standards to be applied whenever advocacy support is being given.
As well as seeking the views of interested organisations and individuals on the proposed principles and minimum standards, the Scottish Government is also keen to hear directly from children and young people. In order to make this as easy as possible, they have developed a set of consultation materials and notes for facilitators which can be used by workers when they are discussing the proposals with the young people they work with. Click here to access a copy of the materials from their website.
Please note the 24 February 2012 is the deadline for consultation responses.
Tam Baillie, Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People endorses this consultation:
"I welcome the publication of the consultation. One of my priorities has been to give life to article 12, a child's right to have an opinion, to express that opinion, and for due weight to be given to their views.W
"We did this through a RIGHT blether, which attracted a record number of 74,059 responses from children and young people across Scotland. I know from this that children and young people want to exercise their right for their views to be heard.
"We need to get better at listening to all children and young people. For those who require the assistance of an advocate, there is a need for us to improve facilities and support services and hopefully this new consultation will help us to move policy and practice in the right direction."