Written - Establishment of the Children and Young People’s Advocacy Development and Performance Unit and the progress in establishing the National Independent Advocacy Board

Following on from my statement in March 2008 I am pleased to provide an update on developments in delivering Advocacy Services for Children and Young People in Wales.

The Advocacy Development and Performance Unit has been established within the Department for Children Education, Life Long Learning and Skills, and is now fully staffed with a head of branch, branch manager and branch administrator in place since January 2009.

Its key functions are to –

-          promote advocacy amongst children, young people and adults

-          promote and support the implementation of the Assembly Government’s Model for Advocacy Services for Children and Young People in Wales

-          consider options for developing and commissioning an all- Wales Advocacy and Advice Service for all children and young people

-          establish a National Independent Advocacy Board

-          report on advocacy standards and outcomes across Wales

-          support Children & Young People’s Partnerships to implement the new arrangement locally or/and regionally

Members are currently being recruited to the National Independent Advocacy Board, which will consist of 3 adult board members, a chair person and 4 children and young people. The board will sit independently of the Welsh Assembly Government and will advise Welsh Ministers on how best to deliver the New Service Model.  The adult board members are being recruited using the public appointments process and the posts were widely advertised. There was a great deal of interest in the posts with over 200 requests for information. Interviews for the position of chair and board members, which are due to take place in late April 2009, will involve children and young people.

I am delighted to report that there was a real interest amongst children and young people in being members of the Board, with over 40 children and young people applying.  There was such a diverse and wealth of experiences and backgrounds that, rather than loose the opportunity to work with the children and young people who were not selected for the Board, the unit plans to form a virtual group to make use of their skills, experience and enthusiasm.  This will ensure that decisions made by the Board take into account the opinions of a wider range of children and young people. 

The Board’s first meeting will take place in early summer and will sit 3 times a year.