Why now?
Why does Independent Advocacy matter?
What we're calling for
Advocacy in Action
What we've heard
Get Involved
FAQs

Why now?

Right now, too many Care Experienced people cannot access independent advocacy when they need it. The Promise made it clear:

Care Experienced children and adults must have the right and access to independent advocacy, at all stages of their experience of care and beyond.
(The Promise, p.115)

Yet, five years later, Care Experienced people tell us a different story. Many still struggle to access independent advocacy when they need it most.

Through our participation work, advocacy evidence, and Lifelong Helpline, we repeatedly hear that Care Experienced people are not receiving adequate and sufficient advocacy. This right remains unfulfilled, with inconsistencies in provision across Scotland. 

This year, we have the opportunity to change this.

Why does Independent Advocacy Matter?

Independent advocacy ensures Care Experienced people know their rights and can make informed choices about their lives. It’s about having someone by your side who: 

Helps you to express your views

Informs you of different options available to you

Ensures your voice is heard in decisions that affect you

Has no conflict of interest

Whether it’s helping a young person reunite with their brother or sister, signposting Care Experienced adults to critical housing support, or accompanying a young person to their Children’s Hearing, independent advocacy is a vital and valuable service for all Care Experienced people who need it.

Care Experienced people are not a homogenous group, and life’s challenges do not disappear at 18, 21, or when someone leaves care. Independent, relationship-based advocacy is the most effective way to ensure every individual has their rights upheld and their voices heard throughout their lives. 

Scotland has the opportunity to lead the way in delivering meaningful, lifelong advocacy- and the time to act is now. 

What we're calling for

We are calling for a statutory right to independent, relationship-based, lifelong advocacy for all Care Experienced people who need it. 

The Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill is a critical opportunity to enshrine this right in law, fulfilling the commitments made to Care Experienced people five years ago.

Recognising independent advocacy as a statutory right is essential to ensure provision is widespread and lifelong.

Our Policy Memorandum outlines this and what we are calling for in more detail.

Read our Policy Memorandum

Advocacy in Action

Through our participation work, advocacy evidence, and Lifelong Helpline, we have built a picture of the ongoing challenges Care Experienced people face and the vital role independent advocacy plays in their lives.  

We have created our Advocacy in Action series to bring these experiences to life. 

Finn and Iona's Story

Brother and sister Finn and Iona have spent their lives moving through the care system, facing challenges that often keep them apart. Their story explores how independent advocacy helps Care Experienced brothers and sisters stay connected and have their voices heard.
Read Finn and Iona's Story

Sam's Story

Sam is neurodivergent and often struggles to communicate his views, needs, and wishes. When child protection concerns arise about his well-being, he is referred to independent advocacy to ensure his rights are upheld and his views are communicated in a way that suits him.
Read Sam's Story

Emily's Story

Frequent placement and school moves disrupt the lives of many Care Experienced young people, making stability one of the top advocacy issues raised by our members. Emily’s story reflects these real concerns and highlights how advocacy helps secure the consistency and support young people need.
Read Emily's Story

Jessica's Story

Jessica has complex communications needs, uses a wheelchair and requires constant care from staff at her residential home. She communicates in her own way, through what she enjoys, how she reacts and what makes her feel safe.With the help of an advocate working on a non-instructed basis, Jessica’s views and rights are represented in her care planning, even when she can’t speak them aloud.
Read Jessica's Story

What we've heard

The Promise brought us hope and a new sense of direction. But five years on, we need action to make it real. 

Our 2023 Summer of Participation findings show that 93% of Care Experienced people we surveyed support calls for independent, relationship-based, lifelong advocacy. This overwhelming consensus motivates our calls and highlights the urgent need for action.  

Here’s what our members who helped shape this campaign have to say: 

We should always have our voice heard! And not just from social workers, they don’t always know us well enough. It’s good to be someone independent.
Age doesn’t mean at one point there’s a fairy wand waved that fixes my issues and concerns brought about by my disability and care experience. I think no matter the age, this burden can follow you so the appropriate supports should be alongside you. My advocate helps make clear my rights to supports as well as helping me with day-to-day things like applying for college care experienced bursaries.
People need to remember that some things are too hard to talk about and when in care we are not comfortable talking about or bringing up in meetings and the Advocate can do this for us. Sometimes it’s just too hard to be part of things or even be there and the Advocate can do this.
Having an advocate can be a lifeline to young people and adults. You might not be prepared as an adult to deal with issues in life, you might not have been taught because you are care experienced. Who would you turn to? There is a lot of things I needed help with and without advocacy support I wouldn’t have what I have now. I wouldn’t have been able to have half of the stuff I have without advocacy that’s why it’s important.
We should always have our voice heard! And not just from social workers, they don’t always know us well enough. It’s good to be someone independent.
I didn’t know half my rights until my advocate spoke to me about them. Some care experienced people need extra help as their life might have been extra tough. I’m 18 now and will need help for a long time. I wouldn’t want that taken away from me. We should get the help we need when we need it. It doesn’t matter the age.
People need to remember that some things are too hard to talk about and when in care we are not comfortable talking about or bringing up in meetings and the Advocate can do this for us. Sometimes it’s just too hard to be part of things or even be there and the Advocate can do this.
Personally, independent advocacy has made a big difference to me, it feels like it’s helped me a lot to express my feelings and get my point across about things I probably would never have opened up about. I think you should be able to have an advocate at any age as you can still struggle to express yourself when you are older, and you still need to have that person who can help you to tell people how you feel.
My advocate always has my back and isn't scared to say the things I am scared to say.

Get involved

We need your help! Here’s where you come in….

Write to your MSP

Tell your MSP why independent advocacy matters and urge them to take action.
Email Template

Show your support

Whether you’re an individual, an MSP, or an organisation, you can download one of our graphics to show your support for the Action on Advocacy Campaign on your social media platforms.
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Want to hear more?

Sign up to our Friends Who Care mailing list to stay up to date on the latest news and how you can get involved.
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Campaign FAQs

Who would be eligible?

Our campaign call is clear: every Care Experienced person, no matter their age, setting, or stage of life, must have a right to independent advocacy.

Unsure what this means? Check out our eligibility resource below for a full breakdown.

Click here

Who have we supported?

Our 2024 State of the Nation shows the scale and scope of independent advocacy in action: who we’ve supported, the issues we’ve tackled, and the impact we’ve made.

It tells the story of why advocacy is essential for upholding the rights of Care Experienced people and what’s possible when that support is in place.

Click here

Need more convincing?

This campaign is rooted in real experiences and real outcomes. Independent advocacy helps people navigate complex systems, be heard in decisions that affect their lives, and access the support they’re entitled to. From healthcare to housing, it makes a tangible difference.

Read our top reasons for why this work matters and why we need your backing.

Click here

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