SEND advocacy

The SEND Advocacy Service is an integrated advocacy service for children and young people in Southampton with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities transitioning (moving) from children’s to adult’s services, who are still in education. This service is available for children and young people aged five to 25 years old.  

It is a single advocacy service provision, accessible through a single point of access for all children and young people, to those children and young people eligible to use the service. 

The service aims to: 

• To enable adults, children, and young people to understand their rights, to express views in decision making concerning their case, and when making a complaint about the services they have received. 
• To enable people to develop their ability to self-advocate. 

Advocacy can be instructed, or non-instructed when the person lacks capacity of competence, in the case of a child, to instruct. It will include 1:1 work with a member of the team. 

Children, young people, and young adults from Year 9 upwards with SEND. 

As far as is practical and appropriate, independent advocates will work with a young person in private in order to determine how best to support or represent them. They will endeavour to meet in the most appropriate place of the young person’s choosing. Locations will predominantly be in Southampton city and may include acute and psychiatric hospitals, care homes, people’s own homes, prison establishments or other secure environments. 

Use of technology (e.g., Skype / video conferencing) should be considered wherever appropriate to support the delivery of the service.  

The service will be open 9am-5pm Monday to Friday (with the exception of bank holidays). 

Once an enquiry is received, we aim to respond within two working days. Or within five working days or in time for any representation required at conferences, meetings, or reviews. 

Referrals for children’s advocacy will come from a variety of sources: education staff, social workers, Youth Offending Team workers, residential care staff, foster carers. 

Children and young people and parent/carers can also self-refer into the service. 

Telephone number - 0330 4409000 

Email address – info@theadvocacypeople.org.uk 

Webchat and online form - Get in touch | The Advocacy People 

For more information about transition, please visit the transition information page.

View an Easy Read Document explaining advocacy

Coram Voice is a leading children’s rights organisation. They champion the rights of children.  

They have created a really useful video, using their avatar Advocat, explaining advocacy and how it works.