Liverpool City Council - Pupil advocacy team

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Pupil Advocacy Team

Our team has been operational since April 2003.

The team covers all schools within the LEA and across all age ranges.

Our team was put in place to address the rights of pupils with SEN and disabled pupils so that they are able to give their views when important decisions are being made about them.

Our role

  • Our team have a specific 'target group' and we are trained to act as advocates for Children and Young People with SEN and disabled pupils
  • We want to raise the profile of the views of pupils with SEN and disabled pupils by providing access to advocates.     

Our aims 

  • We will let schools know why pupils with SEN and disabled pupils need advocacy. 
  • We will highlight the need to involve children in decision-making regarding their SEN. 
  • We will try to help remove the potential barriers to pupils with SEN and disabled pupils that prevent their involvement in the decision-making process.  
  • We will ask pupils for feedback on what they see as barriers that prevent them from airing their views. 
  • We will help schools and related agencies to identify staff who can act as advocates for pupils with SEN and disabled pupils. 
  • We aim to help schools identify and encourage pupils to become peer advocates. 
  • We will train peers and adults in schools.    
  • All advocacy training will be free.
  • We will hold forums for pupils with SEN and disabled pupils to gather information about their experiences of the SEN Services so that future services can be improved.  
  • We will meet school councils and ask pupils to participate in our research.
  • We will also produce a Pupil Advice Form, with guidelines, based on the feedback pupils supply us with.  
  • We have compiled a list of barriers which prevent pupil participation.  This list is available for schools.
  • We have also devised a self check list on 'inclusion' for schools.     

Collaboration

We work in collaboration with:

  • The National Youth Advocacy Service. 
  • Children in Public Care.  
  • Children in Need across the city, and 
  • The Liverpool Bureau of Children and Young People. 


Our intention is to build up links throughout the cityto make sure that no young people who are in need of an advocate will slip through the net.

Referrals

Referrals will be accepted from any source.  We have also produced a pupil self-referral form.

Following the training of peer and adult advocates, pupils can be referred directly to advocates within their schools.

Further Information on our Service
Our Advocacy Team is now 'on the road' carrying out our role. We are already visiting schools in Liverpool to offer our service. 

Our Team

There are four people in our team:  

  • Sue Brough, Admin Officers.
  • Radha Wilkinson and Sarah Smith, Development Workers and 
  • Christine Kincart , Manager.

e-mail us on pupiladvocacy@liverpool.gov.uk.

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