Understanding Advocacy for Children and Young People

This book is a serious read for anyone interested in the development of childrens rights and advocacy. It has been thoroughly researched by two of the most highly respected commentators on the subject, and represents an authoritative and comprehensive guide. I would especially commend it to policy makers as providing a realistic account of what sometimes prevents good childrens rights and advocacy practice, and for tackling very real and contentious issues such as best interest principles getting in the way of giving full expression of childrens own views.
Mike Lindsay, National Co-ordinator of Childrens Rights Alliance for England

Presenting children and young peoples advocacy as an exciting, radical and constantly developing way of working, Boylan and Dalrymple explore its controversial and challenging nature through a comprehensive examination of the theory and practice of advocacy. Readers are invited to consider advocacy as a powerful tool for promoting change in attitudes towards children and young people. The development of meaningful participation in decision making and systemic change in the provision of services for children and young people is identified as key to this process.

While advocacy now has a higher profile within health, welfare and education services, the authors argue for critical engagement with the dilemmas and paradoxes it continues to present. More traditional ways of advocacy practice are evaluated alongside newer approaches such as non-instructed advocacy and e-advocacy. Key issues explored include::

• An historical overview of advocacy within professional practice
• The development of independent advocacy
• The contested nature of advocacy
• Children and young peoples participation
• Forms and models for the provision of advocacy
• The relationship between advocacy and anti-oppressive practice

Understanding Advocacy for Children and Young People is an essential text for advocates and professionals working with children and young people. It is also suitable as a key resource for health and social care practitioners, educators, commissioners and policy makers.