Independent advocacy for children and young people
Independent advocacy helps children and young people speak up, be heard and have more control over decisions that affect their lives. An advocate supports you to share your views, understand your rights and take an active role in your own plans and meetings.
You can get advocacy if you feel you are not being listened to, if decisions are being made about your care or education, or if you need help to understand what is happening.
Your legal rights
Several laws in Scotland protect your right to be involved in decisions about your life. These include:
- United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 12)
- Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003
- Patients’ Rights (Scotland) Act 2011
- Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011
- Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014
- Mental Health (Scotland) Act 2015
- Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 (as amended)
What independent advocacy does
Advocacy gives you:
- someone on your side, who listens only to you
- support to express your views in meetings
- help to understand information and make your own choices
- confidence that your rights are protected
Advocates do not make decisions for you and do not work for social work, schools or other services.
Who provides advocacy in South Lanarkshire
We work with organisations who specialise in supporting children and young people.
Who Cares? Scotland
They support care‑experienced children and young people across South Lanarkshire.
Partners in Advocacy
They support children and young people who are taking part in the Children’s Hearings System.
They also provide independent advocacy for children aged 12 to 15 with additional support needs in school. This is part of the My Rights, My Say service, delivered with Children in Scotland and Cairn Legal.
Advocacy and your rights
Advocacy helps you use your rights under laws that protect children and young people, including your right to have your views taken seriously. These rights sit within several pieces of Scottish and international law, such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and Scotland’s education and mental health laws.
Find out more or get support
To ask for advocacy or learn more, please contact:
You can also read the Lanarkshire Advocacy Plan 2020-2025 for more detail on how partners across Lanarkshire support advocacy.