This portal includes information on what you can expect from us as an organisation, including how to make a referral

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We look forward to working with you!

Learn all about who we are, what we do and meet the team who will be supporting you...jump to section>

Find out more about our advocacy service and access our referral forms....jump to section>

Find out more about our IV service and access referral forms and guidance documents....jump to section>

Find out more about our role and access the referral form...jump to section>

Help us spread the word about our services for children and young people...jump to section>

Reconstruct has been delivering Advocacy, Independent Visiting and Participation since 1990 to vulnerable children and young people. Reconstruct is an independent organisation and not part of social services.

Reconstruct are the providers of the Advocacy, Independent Visiting and Participation service for Bristol children and young people.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of these children and young people is at the centre of the work we undertake. 

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An advocate independent to social services and is someone who provides support to children and young people in care, care leavers and children and young people who are subject to a Child Protection Conference. 

Advocacy means to speak up for someone and there are some groups of people who may need more help that others – in this case, vulnerable children and young people.  It’s about making sure that children have a say in decisions that affect their life. Advocacy is about making things change because children’s voices are heard and listened to. 

Empower children to speak up for themselves or for the advocate to speak up on their behalf

Make children aware of the decision making processes they are going through and to help them navigate the process

Ensure that  children receive independent information, advice and support and be able to signpost them to specialist support where necessary

Assist children in the swift resolution of complaints

The Children in Care Advocacy Service will provide support and advocacy for children in care aged 0-18 years and care leavers up to aged 25 who are placed both in and out of the authority area in the following placement types:

Homeless children

Mental Health setting

Care Leavers

Foster Care

Independent Living

Living with relatives

Supported lodgings

Residential Care

Placed with parents

The referrer completes the form on the referral link and this will be sent automatically to the coordinator for Bristol. 

If you would prefer to complete a hard copy of the referral form please download and send it to advocacy.bristol@reconstruct.co.uk This applies to the following: 

If the referral is complex please call 0800 0209 858 or directly to Carol the coordinator on her mobile on 07857625129 and  talk through the referral.

Within 24 hours the referral will be acknowledged by the Reconstruct team and within 48 hours will be assigned to an advocate. You will be contacted to discuss the following upon receipt of referral:

• To let you know the status of the referral and who the Advocate allocated will be. If the referral is missing any information, they will also ask for further clarification, including any risks that the advocate should be aware of before meeting the child/young person.

• Advocate will arrange with parent/carer to speak with the young person. 

• If parents or young person do not want to engage then advocate would complete a non-starter form and advise the social worker.

• If the young person is aged 16 plus the Advocate will ask the referrer if it is acceptable for them to contact the young person directly.

• An advocate will meet with the young person face to face or virtually (child led) s a paragraph.

Please ensure invites to meetings are sent well in advance to allow for advocates to be allocated and for the V&F’s to be collated. Should an advocate not be available due to delays in Bristol, Reconstruct will not be held responsible for not attending said meetings. However we will endeavour to support the child but this may not be possible and the child may have to be represented at the next meeting.

We really want to get the word out that we are providing the Advocacy, IV and Participation service to young people in Bristol and encourage you and your teams to send these out to the young People you work with:

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An Independent Visitor (IV) is an adult volunteer who is independent of Social Services. Their role is to establish a supportive and long term relationship with a young person built on trust. They will guide and listen to a young person, helping to build their self-esteem and develop new interests and skills over time. 

Visit a child on a regular basis, usually once a month, to befriend them 

Provide Looked After Children with someone to talk to who is independent of the local authority 

Provide a consistent and reliable adult with a view to building a trusting and positive relationship with the child 

Provide a child with the opportunity to try new activities and spend time with them away from their placement. 

The Service will be available to children and young people in the care of the Authority, between the ages of 8 and 18 years, and also to a small number of Care Leavers who will be agreed and identified to the service by the Council

All social workers can make a referral using the links below. If you are a parent or carer and would like to access the service, please contact your social worker who will make a referral on your behalf.  

We really want to get the word out that we are providing the Advocacy, IV and Participation service to young people in Bristol and encourage you and your teams to send these out to the young People you work with:

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