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 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 at Wakefield CAPS 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 meetings with you or for you. While you practice speaking out for yourself you might need our support. We can support you with any decisions that are being made, until you are ready.
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 in care, have a Child
Protection Plan or an Education Health and Care Plan you should be able to have an
Advocate
Advocate.
You don’t have to live in Wakefield to have our service. 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 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.

“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