You have the right to independent advice and advocacy support if you are a young person who is living in:
- Young Offenders Institution (YOI)
- Secure Training Centre (STC)
- Secure Children’s Home (SCH)
Your Advocate should be able to meet and work with you on any concerns you have about where you live, or about the contact and support you get from Children’s Services.
Are you locked up in a Young Offenders Institution or Secure Training Centre?
If you are detained in a Young Offenders Institution or Secure Training Centre, the charity Barnardo’s will provide you with independent advocacy.
This means that if you are in Cookham Wood YOI, Feltham YOI, Medway STC, Oakhill STC, Parc YOI, Rainsbrook STC, Werrington YOI or Wetherby YOI, a Barnardo’s Advocate can meet with you and help you with things like:
- Support in reviews, adjudications and other meetings.
- Information and support about your rights and entitlements.
- Help you to make complaints.
- Support to have contact with your family or legal representatives.
You (or a family member or professional you trust), can contact Barnardo’s on 0808 168 2694.
If you would like advocacy support because you are not getting the help you need from Children’s Services while you are detained you can contact our Advocacy Helpline and we will sort this out for you.
Are you living in a secure children’s home?
There are different advocacy services who can support you in the secure children’s home where you live. These services are all provided by independent charities that work with children and young people. Advocates should be able to help you with advice about your rights and entitlements and support you with concerns about life in the home, or in your care planning.
As someone who is living in a secure children’s home you are a looked after child. This means that the advocacy service for the local authority who is responsible for your care must also offer you advocacy support if you need it. You can find out who this is here.
Advocacy service details
You (or a family member or supporting agency) can contact your secure children’s homes advocacy service by using the details below:
Adel Beck Secure Children’s Home
Contact: Coram Voice 0808 800 5792, help@coramvoice.org.uk, www.coramvoice.org.uk
Aldine House Secure Children’s Centre
Contact: Coram Voice 0808 800 5792, help@coramvoice.org.uk, www.coramvoice.org.uk
Atkinson Secure Children’s Home
Contact: NYAS, 0808 808 1001, help@nyas.net, www.nyas.net
Aycliffe Secure Centre
Contact: NYAS, 0808 808 1001, help@nyas.net, www.nyas.net
Coram Voice also provides advocacy for young people who are receiving psychiatric care at Aycliffe, the advocates can be contacted on 0808 800 5792 / help@coramvoice.org.uk
Barton Moss Secure Care Centre
Contact: Barnardo’s on 0808 168 2694
Clare Lodge Secure Children’s Home
Contact: NYAS, 0808 808 1001, help@nyas.net, www.nyas.net
Change Grow Live (CGL)
Contact: Children’s Society, 0115 900 3106, alison.smith@childrenssociety.org.uk , www.childrenssociety.org.uk
Hillside Secure Centre
Contact: Tros Gynnal, 0808 168 2599, 07957472080, Kathryn.Jones@TGPCymru.org.uk, www.trosgynnal.org.uk
Kyloe House Secure Children’s Home
Coram Voice provides advocacy for young people who are receiving psychiatric care at Kyloe House, the advocates can be contacted on 0808 800 5792 / help@coramvoice.org.uk
Lansdowne Secure Unit
Contact: NYAS, 0808 808 1001, help@nyas.net, www.nyas.net
Lincolnshire Secure Unit
Contact: Voiceability Lincolnshire 01522 706580/ 0300 303 1660, tvl@voiceability.org , https://www.voiceability.org/support-and-help/services-by-location/lincolnshire
St Catherine’s Secure Centre (including Marydale Unit)
Contact: Coram Voice 0808 800 5792, help@coramvoice.org.uk, www.coramvoice.org.uk
Swanwick Lodge
Contact: Speakeasy. 01256 332795, hello@speakeasyadvocacy.org.uk
Vinney Green Secure Unit
Contact: Coram Voice 0808 800 5792, help@coramvoice.org.uk, www.coramvoice.org.uk
Further help
If you still want help, contact our Advocacy Helpline.
If you find that the contact information provided is wrong please let us know by emailing us on help@coramvoice.org.uk so that we can update the database.