Advocate's role - hearing the voices of children and young people in care

Department for Child Protection and Family Support

An Advocate for Children in Care, who has a wide-ranging advocacy role, supports children and young people making complaints or providing feedback on their experiences in care.

The Department for Child Protection and Family Support has parental responsibility for some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people in Western Australia.

They may find it harder than most to speak up and say what they want or to complain. They may have low self esteem and little awareness of their rights, problems expressing themselves in words or talking about feelings, poor experiences of relating to adults especially those with power, and they may be reluctant to say what they think because they believe no-one will listen, or because they are embarrassed or ashamed of their worries or questions.

Customer focus

The Department understands the importance of participation by children and young people in care. At the individual level meaningful participation leads to better outcomes, while collective feedback and advice is critical for the development of effective and relevant services.

Recognising that children and young people in care need special support to participate, the Department employs an Advocate for Children in Care who offers wide-ranging advocacy services, including individual support to access the Department’s formal Complaints Management system.

Improving visibility, accessibility and responsiveness

The services of the Advocate are promoted through the Department’s website, district offices and placement services, and publications including the Charter of Rights for Children in Care which is available in three age-related formats.

Referrals can be made by via the website, by phone, email, text message or mail, and response times are kept to a minimum.

The Advocate connects with children and young people in the way they are most comfortable with, and acts on their instructions or in their best interests if they are too young or unable to speak for themselves. Options for intervention are discussed, chosen and reviewed by the child or young person wherever possible, and they are encouraged though not required to participate in the process personally. Solutions are generally sought through negotiation with decision-makers in the first instance, but the Advocate supports and/or represents children and young people in care who choose to lodge a formal complaint or seek a review by the independent Case Review Panel.

The Advocate works closely with the Department’s Complaints Management Unit, where children and young people in care receive special consideration.

The Advocate has a direct reporting line to the Chief Executive Officer, and provides regular reports to the Corporate Executive Committee, identifying trends and issues raised by children and young people in care, and providing advice about effective service provision.

Developing the strategies

The first Advocate for Children in Care was appointed in 2006. While the Advocate is an officer of the Department, their independence is protected by removing the position from mainstream case management reporting lines and linking it directly to the Department’s chief executive officer.

Policies and procedures have been developed to give authority and influence to the role, and the Advocate has unfettered access to all departmental client records.

Collaborative relationships have been built between the Advocate and decision makers in district offices and child-centred solutions are the common goal.

It is acknowledged by all parties that children and young people in care have a right to feel heard and respected by staff, and to receive information and explanations in age-appropriate language. The advocacy and complaints process ensures that this occurs and is seen to be a valuable and esteem-building experience, irrespective of whether the preferred outcome is achieved.

The Advocate has close links with the WA Youth Advisory Group (YAG). This is facilitated by The CREATE Foundation and consists of care-experienced young people committed to improving the care system. The youth advisory committee, Create'v Voyce, represents all children and young people in care and provides advice and feedback to the Government on all relevant issues.

Continual improvement

In 2010 the Department introduced Viewpoint ACASI, a computer-generated tool designed to elicit and organise feedback from children and young people in care so that services can be continually improved.