Source · Select Committees · Education Committee
Recommendation 51
51
Accepted
Too few children, especially disabled, access entitled independent advocacy support in care.
Conclusion
It is essential that children in care have a voice when important decisions are being made about their lives. Currently, too few children are accessing the advocacy support they are entitled to, with an average referral rate of just 5% across local authorities. It is also essential that disabled children and children with special educational needs, particularly those in residential care, have access to this support. (Conclusion, Paragraph 126)
Government response summary AI-generated
The government committed to introducing new National Standards for Advocacy for Children and Young People and revised statutory guidance in 2025, including new standards on non-instructed advocacy and safeguarding.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted
We will introduce new National Standards for Advocacy for Children and Young People and revised statutory guidance on Providing Effective Advocacy for Children and Young People Making a Complaint under the Children Act 1989 in 2025. This will include new standards on non-instructed advocacy and safeguarding as recommended by the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel.
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