Children's Rights Service - Derby
How we can help
Independent Advocates
Your Independent Advocate can come to your review to support you to say what you want. They will ensure, whenever they can, that your views are heard and taken into account.
Advocacy is about empowering children and young people to make sure that their rights are respected and that their views and wishes are fully considered and reflected in decision making about their own lives. The Children Act says children and young people must be treated with respect; advocacy ensures that children and young people are supported if they wish to make a complaint about a service they are
receiving, or if they would like support to ensure their wishes and feelings are being heard.
Independent Visitors
You can have an Independent Visitor until you turn 18. Independent Visitors meet with you once a month and you can decide, at any point, if you don’t want to see them anymore. To make sure you have an Independent Visitor who is right for you, we look at what you like doing and what you don’t and try to match you with someone who has similar likes and dislikes.
Lots of different people are Independent Visitors; individuals - both men and women - of all different ages and from all different backgrounds. If you are a child or young person in care you may be eligible for an Independent Visitor - ask your Social Worker about this. Independent Visitors are adults who give up some of their free time to support children and young people who live with a foster family or in residential care.
Contact us
If you'd like to find out more about what we do and how we can help you, please do get in touch.
Email for Advocacy Service: [email protected]
Phone for Advocacy Service: 07795 450036
Email for Independent Visiting Service: [email protected]
Phone for Independent Visiting Service: 07389 712 369
Referrals
Request for Independent Advocate Service
If you are looked after, or a care leaver up to 25 years of age you can self-refer by calling the project using the details on the “Contact Us” section. Alternatively, with the young person’s permission, professionals can also complete and submit this form on their behalf:
Download the Independent Advocacy Referral Form
Request for Independent Visitor Service
Formal referrals for an independent visitor must be made by the young person’s social worker. If you are a social worker and would like to make a referral, and the young person consents to wanting the service, please complete and return this form:
Find us:
- Suite 101, Thomas Henry House
Church Street
Ripley DE5 3BU
Opening times
- Monday 09:00 - 17:00
- Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00
- Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00
- Thursday 09:00 - 17:00
- Friday 09:00 - 17:00
