Contents
Care Leavers - Information and Advocacy
General Information
Discrimination, Your Rights & the Law
As individuals we all have rights in terms of how we are treated. Unfair treatment due to someone's race, religion, culture, gender, disability or sexuality is known as discrimination - and it's against the law.
Discrimination can come in many forms and may mean verbal or physical threat, assault or emotional abuse.
The following Acts of Parliament all deal with types of discrimination:
- The Race Relations Act (1976)
- The Sex Discrimination Act (1975)
- The Equal Pay Act (1975)
- The Disability Discrimination Act (1997)
What is advocacy?
An advocate is someone independent who will help you to speak up for what you want.
The Government wants all young people who receive services from the Local Authority to have access to an advocate.
If you wish to make a complaint about us, you can be represented by the NSPCC.
Principles of Advocacy
Everyone has a right to:
- Be respected and listened to
- Be involved in decisions that affect their lives
- Have aspirations for their future
- Contribute to and participate in their communities
What's the difference between an advocate and someone like a social worker?
You may have a good relationship with your Social Worker, or Personal Adviser, or another paid professional like a lawyer or Probation Officer. However, situations can arise where your views conflict. Sometimes a paid professional can only act in certain ways. They can be limited by their role, their legal responsibilities or their employer. In this situation, an advocate can be a good idea.
How can an advocate help me?
An advocate is always an independent person. He or she is there to help you express your views and make sure they are understood, in any kind of legal, judicial or administrative proceedings, such as:
- Complaining about services you have received
- Attending a Pathway Plan review
- Legal or judicial proceedings
- Any other situation where issues which affect you or your future are being discussed
The advocate's loyalties lie with you and they will focus on seeing things from your perspective and putting across what you want.
Where can I get advocacy?
If you wish to make a complaint about us, you can be represented by the NSPCC.
You can also contact the National Youth Advocacy Service. The services of this organisation are available free of charge to any young person aged 25 or under who:
- Needs help
- Has a complaint
- Has a problem
- Needs advice and nobody is listening
The National Youth Advocacy Service represents young people who want to make their wishes and feelings known in any legal, administrative or judicial proceedings. This may be to do with your experience of being looked after, but could be related to any other area where legal input would be helpful to you.
Contact Details
For more information please contact 16+ team, or see the agencies listed on page two.
Telephone: 0808 16 02 211 - for young people only.
Telephone: 0121 788 4200 - for all other people.
Emergency Duty Team: 0121 605 6060.
Email: 16plus@solihull.gov.uk