Reconstruct is the provider for the Advocacy service for Surrey children and young people.

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

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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>

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Reconstruct has been delivering Advocacy, Independent Visiting and Participation since 1990 to vulnerable 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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Reconstruct are a separate service, and are completely independent of a Local Authority. Our role is to support and relay the views and wishes of the child or young person and to ensure their voice is represented.

An advocate 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 those who may need more help than others – in this case, vulnerable children and young people. It’s about making sure they have a say in decisions that affect their lives. Advocacy is about listening to children's thoughts and feelings so that their voices are heard. 

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 age 25 who are placed both in and out of the authority area. This includes the following placement types: 

Looked after children

Care leavers up to the age of 25

Children subject to child protection planning to make a representation 

Over 16 and have special education needs or disabilities (SEND) and/or have an education 

health care plan (EHCP)

Any age, with an EHCP and English as an additional language

Under 16, with an EHCP, without a parent who is capable of advocating on their behalf

16 to 17 homeless young people

The referrer completes the form on the referral link and this will be sent automatically to the coordinator for Surrey. (If the young person is homeless please complete the homeless referral from) 

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

If the young person is homeless complete the below referral form

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)

Please ensure invitations to meetings are sent well in advance to allow for an advocate to be allocated in good time and to enable the views and wishes of the child/young person to be collected. Should an advocate not be available due to delays in sending the referral, Reconstruct will not be held responsible for not unattendance. However, we will endeavour to support the child / young person.

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We really want to get the word out that we are providing the Advocacy Service to young people in Surrey and surrounding areas and encourage you and your teams to send these out to the young people you work with:

If you also know anyone suitable to be an advocate in the Surrey area, please do ask them to get in touch with us at advocacy.surrey@reconstruct.co.uk, we would love to hear from them! 

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