Advocacy services for children and young people who are in care or are leaving care
If you are in care, or are leaving care, the law gives you the right to help from an advocate whenever you want to express your views or make a complaint.
Advocates are separate from social workers and social services.
They are there to help YOU be heard.
They are not there to give their own opinion or tell you what to do. But they can give advice on protecting your rights. They should be able to help you get a lawyer if you need one.
To see telephone numbers, you’ll need to be either using a mobile phone or have your computer set up to make calls.
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ALWAYS HEARD
If you can’t get hold of the advocacy service in your area, or they say that they can’t give you an advocate – you can still get help.
The children’s charity Coram Voice runs a backup service called Always Heard.
Always Heard promises to get you an advocate.
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BARKING AND DAGENHAM
Advocates work for the children’s charity Barnardo’s.
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BARNET
Advocates work for the children’s charity Action for Children.
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BARNSLEY
Advocates work for the Children’s Rights Team in the council.
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BATH AND NORTH EAST SOMERSET
Advocates work for Off The Record charity.
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BEDFORD BOROUGH
Advocates work for the children’s charity Barnardo’s.
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BEDFORDSHIRE, CENTRAL
Get in touch and the council will arrange an advocate for you.
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BEXLEY
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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BIRMINGHAM
Contact your Rights and Participation Service in Birmingham Children’s Trust.
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BLACKBURN WITH DARWEN
Advocates work for the charity Child Action Northwest.
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BLACKPOOL
Advocates work for Blackpool Advocacy Hub (part of a charity called Empowerment).
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BOLTON
Advocates work for children’s charity Action for Children.
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BOURNEMOUTH
Advocates work for children’s charity Action for Children.
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BRACKNELL FOREST
Contact the council’s Child Participation Development Officer who will arrange an advocate for you.
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BRADFORD
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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BRENT
Ask your social worker or your independent reviewing officer or contact the Complaints Team at the council who will arrange an advocate for you.
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BRIGHTON AND HOVE
Advocates work for the Youth Advocacy Project in the council.
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BRISTOL
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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BROMLEY
Ask your social worker or your independent reviewing officer or contact the Complaints Team at the council who will arrange an advocate for you.
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BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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BURY
Advocates are arranged by the Children and Young People in Care Team in the council.
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CALDERDALE
Advocates work for your Children’s Rights Service in the council.
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CAMBRIDGESHIRE
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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CAMDEN
Advocates work for the children’s charity Coram Voice.
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CHESHIRE EAST
Advocates work for the children’s charity The Children’s Society.
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CHESHIRE WEST & CHESTER
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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CITY OF LONDON
Advocates work for children’s charity Action for Children.
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CORNWALL
Your council can arrange for you to have an advocate from the children’s charity Barnardo’s. (The email address will take you straight to Barnardo’s).
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COVENTRY
Advocates work for the children’s charity Barnardo’s.
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CROYDON
Advocates work for the children’s charity Barnardo’s.
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CUMBRIA
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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DARLINGTON
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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DERBY
Advocates work for the charity Change Grow Live.
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DERBYSHIRE
Contact your Children’s Independent Advocacy Service, which is run by your council’s Participation Team.
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DEVON
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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DONCASTER
Advocates work for Doncaster Children’s Services Trust.
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DORSET
Advocates work for children’s charity Action for Children.
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DUDLEY
Advocates work for the children’s charity The Children’s Society.
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DURHAM
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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EALING
Advocates work for the children’s charity Coram Voice.
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EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE
Contact your Participation and Rights Team in the council.
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EAST SUSSEX
Advocates work for the charity Change Grow Live.
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ENFIELD
Contact your Children’s Rights Service in the council.
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ESSEX
Advocates work for Rethink All Age Advocacy Service.
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GATESHEAD
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Advocates work for the children’s charity Barnardo’s.
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GREENWICH
Advocates work for the children’s charity Barnardo’s.
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HACKNEY
Contact your Children’s Rights Officer in the council.
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HALTON
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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HAMMERSMITH AND FULHAM
Contact your Children’s Rights Service in the council.
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HAMPSHIRE
Advocates work for the charity Speakeasy.
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HARINGEY
Advocates work for the children’s charity Barnardo’s.
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HARROW
Contact your Children and Young People’s Advocacy Service in the council.
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HARTLEPOOL
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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HAVERING
Contact your Children’s Rights Advocacy Service in the council.
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HEREFORDSHIRE
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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HILLINGDON
Advocates work for the children’s charity Coram Voice.
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HOUNSLOW
Advocates work for the children’s charity Action for Children.
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ISLE OF WIGHT
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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ISLES OF SCILLY
Ask your social worker or your independent reviewing officer.
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ISLINGTON
Advocates work for the children’s charity Action for Children.
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KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA
Contact Looked After Children Advocacy in the council.
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KENT
Advocates work for the children’s charity The Young Lives Foundation.
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KINGSTON UPON HULL, CITY OF
Contact the Rights and Participation Project in the council.
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KINGSTON UPON THAMES
Advocates work for the children’s charity Coram Voice.
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KIRKLEES
Contact your Children’s Rights Team in the council.
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KNOWSLEY
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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LAMBETH
Advocates work for the children’s charity Barnardo’s.
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LANCASHIRE
Advocates work for the children’s charity The Children’s Society.
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LEEDS
Advocates work for the children’s charity Barnardo’s.
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LEICESTER
Contact your Children and Young People’s Rights Participation Officer in the council.
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LEICESTERSHIRE
Contact Children’s Rights in the council.
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LEWISHAM
Advocates work for the children’s charity Coram Voice.
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LINCOLNSHIRE
Advocates work for the children’s charity Barnardo’s.
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LIVERPOOL
Contact the Advocacy Coordinator in your council.
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London
Just for Kids Law offers advocacy to children and young people who are in care or leaving care in London.
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LUTON
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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MANCHESTER
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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MEDWAY TOWNS
Advocates work for the charity The Young Lives Foundation.
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MERTON
Advocates work for the charity Jigsaw4U.
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MIDDLESBROUGH
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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MILTON KEYNES
Advocates work for the children’s charity Coram Voice.
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NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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NEWHAM
Contact your Children’s Rights Service in the council.
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NORFOLK
Advocates work for the children’s charity Coram Voice.
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NORTH EAST LINCOLNSHIRE
Ask your social worker, your independent reviewing officer or contact the Complaints Team at the council who will arrange an advocate for you.
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NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE
Contact your Children and Young People’s Advocate in the council.
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NORTH SOMERSET
Advocates work for the Junction 21 Mentoring Service in the council.
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NORTH TYNESIDE
Contact the participation, advocacy and engagement part of your council.
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NORTH YORKSHIRE
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
Contact your Children’s Rights Service in the council.
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NORTHUMBERLAND
Advocates work for children’s charity Action for Children.
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NOTTINGHAM
Advocates work for the charity The Children’s Society.
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NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
Advocates work for the charity The Children’s Society.
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OLDHAM
Advocates work for the company Excel Social Work and Therapeutic Services.
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OXFORDSHIRE
Advocates work for VIVA in the council.
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PETERBOROUGH
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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PLYMOUTH
Your council can arrange for you to have an advocate from the children’s charity Barnardo’s. The email address says complaints but you can have an advocate for anything linked to children’s services, being heard and your rights.
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POOLE
Advocates work for children’s charity Action for Children.
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PORTSMOUTH
Just4U advocates work for No Limits charity.
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READING
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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REDBRIDGE
Contact your Children’s Rights Team in the council.
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REDCAR AND CLEVELAND
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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RICHMOND UPON THAMES
Advocates work for the children’s charity Coram Voice.
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ROCHDALE
Advocates work for the children’s charity The Children’s Society.
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ROTHERHAM
Contact your Right 2 Rights Service in the council.
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RUTLAND
Contact your Advocacy Support Worker in the council.
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SALFORD
Advocates work for the children’s charity Barnardo’s.
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SANDWELL
Advocates work for the children’s charity The Children’s Society.
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SEFTON
Contact your Independent Visiting and Advocacy Officer in the council.
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SHEFFIELD
Advocates work in the Children’s Involvement Team in the council.
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SHROPSHIRE
Advocates work for the children’s charity Coram Voice.
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SLOUGH
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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SOLIHULL
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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SOMERSET
Contact Route1 Advocacy in the council.
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SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Advocates work for the charity Reconstruct.
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SOUTH TYNESIDE
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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SOUTHAMPTON
Just4U advocates work for No Limits charity.
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SOUTHEND-ON-SEA
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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SOUTHWARK
Advocates work for the children’s charity Coram Voice.
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ST HELENS
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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STAFFORDSHIRE
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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STOCKPORT
Advocates work for the children’s charity Coram Voice.
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STOCKTON-ON-TEES
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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STOKE-ON-TRENT
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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SUFFOLK
Advocates work for the charity VoiceAbility.
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SUNDERLAND
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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SURREY
Contact your Children’s Rights Service in the council.
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SUTTON
Advocates work for The Volunteer Centre.
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SWINDON
Advocates work for the children’s charity Coram Voice.
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TAMESIDE
Contact your Children’s Rights Service in the council.
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TELFORD AND WREKIN
Contact the Rights & Representations Project in the council.
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THURROCK
Advocates work for the charity Open Door.
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TORBAY
Advocates work for the children’s charity The Children’s Society.
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TOWER HAMLETS
Advocates work for the children’s charity The Children’s Society.
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TRAFFORD
Contact your Advocacy and Engagement officers in the council.
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WAKEFIELD
Advocates work for the children’s charity Barnardo’s.
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WALSALL
Advocates work for the children’s charity The Children’s Society.
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WALTHAM FOREST
Advocates work for the children’s charity Coram Voice.
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WANDSWORTH
Advocates work for the children’s charity Coram Voice.
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WARRINGTON
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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WARWICKSHIRE
Advocates work for the children’s charity Barnardo’s.
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WEST BERKSHIRE
Advocates work for children’s charity Action for Children.
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WEST SUSSEX
Contact your Advocacy Service in the council.
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WESTMINSTER
Contact your Children’s Rights Team in the council.
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WIGAN
Advocates work for the charity Wigan Family Welfare.
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WILTSHIRE
Advocates work for the charity County Community Projects.
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WINDSOR AND MAIDENHEAD
Advocates work for the charity Windsor and Maidenhead Counselling Service.
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WIRRAL
Advocates work for the children’s charity Barnardo’s.
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WOKINGHAM
Contact your Children’s Rights and Advocacy Officer in the council.
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WOLVERHAMPTON
Advocates work for the children’s charity The Children’s Society.
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WORCESTERSHIRE
Advocates work for the charity National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).
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YORK
Contact Speak Up, which is your Children’s Rights and Advocacy Service in the council.
If you find that any of our information is incorrect, please let us know by using the contact form. Thank you!
