Help at hand advocacy service is very much in demand as more children seek support
Demand for the Children’s Commissioner’s support service for children in care is rising with the number now doubling year-upon-year. Help at Hand is a service offering free advice, information and guidance for those either already in a care setting, leaving care, living away from the home set-up, and for those working within children’s services. There were 1,500 enquiries made to the service last year and typical cases included the team supporting a girl who was leaving the care system who was struggling with her local authority establishing her immigration status so that she could remain at university, and successfully challenging a local authority to forgive a care leaver’s council tax debt.
The service uses its influence to ensure people’s right are being upheld, in relation to:
- Being safe
- Having views, wishes and feelings heard and taken seriously
- Being involved in decisions about their life
- Accessing help and support they are entitled to
In the Children’s Commissioner’s 2018/2018 yearly review, the five main issues that were raised were:
- Unwanted placement moves and instability
- Poor support for care leavers
- Housing and homelessness
- Education for children in care
- Not having the right service at the right time – especially mental health support
Anne Longfield, the Children’s Commissioner, whose legal obligation it is to protect and promote the rights of all children in England, often investigates issues and stands up for and provides a voice for children who are most vulnerable and disadvantaged.
She ensures the policymakers take their views into account as they are making key decisions which will influence aspects of their lives. Working independently of government and parliament, Ms Longfield holds unique power to be able to bring about change and improvements, firstly by gathering evidence, talking to young people, requesting information and researching and compiling reports based on her findings. She is, ‘The eyes and ears of children in the system and the country as a whole’, and carries out her duties, ‘Without fear or favour of Government, children’s agencies, and the voluntary and private sectors.’ Ms Longfield states ‘I want all children to have the brightest future possible. I will advocate for positive change for all children particularly those who are most disadvantaged.’
The organisation also introduced a Stability Index; a way to measure looked after children and bringing together statistics on schools, social workers and care placements. The index was created as a result of the volume of calls to Help at Hand regarding unwanted changes and moves and the subsequent disruption. It is a method of encouraging local councils to account for unnecessarily moving children around the system.
In addition, they are also forming a digital hub linking up children in care councils across England, headed up by an advisory board of 21 children in care. This will explore the wants and wishes of the young people, how a mentoring system could be introduced so children can help each other, encouraging sports and entertainment businesses to donate memberships and tickets so that the children are able to enjoy and engage in social opportunities, and giving the children a louder voice in Whitehall.