Guidance for advocacy providers on completion of the national performance reporting

The National Reporting Template is one of the main elements of the National Approach to Statutory Advocacy. It was introduced in order to ensure that commissioners of advocacy services across Wales receive consistent data in relation to the delivery and take up of Independent Professional Advocacy Services in their area.

The National Reporting Template has been approved by the Welsh Government Task and Finish Group on the National Approach to Statutory Advocacy for Children and Young People. Approval indicates that agreement has been reached deeming the levels of quantitative and qualitative data the report captures as sufficient to allow commissioners of advocacy services to understand service use in their area. It is intended to be the only report commissioners of advocacy services receive each quarter. An annual report using the same template will also be completed by the service provider.

This guidance, aimed at service providers, has been developed to accompany the National Reporting Template.

The purpose of this guidance, written to accompany the National reporting Template is to:

• ensure a joined up approach between advocacy providers in relation to completion of the National Reporting Template
• ensure local authority commissioners know what to expect from the reporting template.

Each of the below subheadings corresponds to a section on the National Reporting Template.

Guidance regarding how to complete each section is offered below.

Headline report

Use this space to detail:

• Overview of referrals etc. during the quarter
• Overview of themes and trends
• Overview of complaints (young people issues)
• Number of Out of County referrals.
• Number of Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking children(UASC) children and young here
• Include details regarding Care Leaver (CL) issues in the Headline Report
• Include details of any Third Sector organisations referring in the Headline Report
• Number of meetings attended or supported by an advocate (optional)
• Reasons why you did not meet 48 hours and 5 day targets
• Recommendations
• Feedback from Children and Young People (CYP) regarding personal outcomes. Agreed outcomes to report on are:
  • CYP feel more included in decisions being made about them
  • CYP feel more confident as a result of advocacy
  • CYP feel advocacy made a difference to their situation
  • CYP feel more knowledgeable about their rights.

Include a case study in this section.

1a. Issue-based advocacy (IBA)

Advocacy cases young people

This reflects the number of CYP referred in the quarter. It does not include Active Offer referrals.

Number of service users accessing for the first time = brand new users never been seen before. This figure will differ from the number of CYP referred in the quarter.

1b. Advocacy case interventions

This reflects the number of issues referred in the quarter.

2a. Active offer

This reflects active offer statistics only. The number of CYP eligible for the Active Offer must be obtained from each individual local authority (LA).

2b. Eligibility criteria IBA

Total of all eligibility types (Children Looked After (CLA), Care Leavers (CL) etc.).

The combined total should match the Number of Referrals Received (CYP not issues) in Chart 1.

4. Protected characteristics

Capture any CYP referred who have a Protected Characteristic here, if known. If CYP have more than one Protected Characteristic please capture all of them in the graph and note this in the headline report.

5. Referral source

Count referral source per CYP not per issue.

Count for IBA only, not active offer.

Include details of any Third Sector organisations referring in the headline report.

Advocate referrals (NYAS) come under Self-Referral.

6. Issues presented

Include details regarding care leaver issues in the headline report.

If you have a type of issue, which does not fit into one of the specified categories, note this in the headline report.

7. Service performance

Detail as percentages, the number of young people you contacted within the specified 48 hours and the number of young people you saw face to face within the target of 5 working days.

Include reasons as to why you missed any targets in outcome 1.

8. Level of advocacy intervention

Log the total number of hours work completed for each issue, at point of issue losure. Include all travel time, direct work with the CYP, associated administration, research and case discussions (with manager) when working out the total hours of 
work.

Categorise into one of the following brackets:

• Low = 0-11 hours
• Med = 12-18 hours
• High = 18+ hours

9. Outcomes

The below examples are for illustration purposes. You do not have to include all examples in every report; rather reflect any activity experienced in the reporting quarter to ensure reports vary from quarter to quarter.

Outcome 1

Children and young people find good quality independent advocacy easily available 
and accessible.

Suggestions for inclusion:

• Challenges – e.g. Explain why not meeting 48 hour and 5 day targets
• Awareness raising and publicity completed
• Accessible venues – report on alternative venues for meeting CYP
• Mention access to service for CYP placed out of county and any associated challenges
• Staff training completed in terms of meeting the needs of CYP referred
• Any issues with accessing LA teams to promote service etc
• Any professional training delivered.

Outcome 2

Children and young people have their privacy and confidences respected and their wellbeing safeguarded and protected.

Suggestions for inclusion:

• Number of safeguarding referrals to LA
• Examples of challenges when explaining confidentiality and safeguarding
• Any issues with unnecessary disclosure of information from social services
• Complaints to and about the advocacy service.

Outcome 3

Children and young people are valued for their diversity, treated with respect and all forms of discrimination against them are challenged.

Suggestions for inclusion:

• Use of translation/interpreters
• Number of CYP using the service in Welsh and any other languages
• Include information about the Active offer of Welsh captured here
• Non instructed advocacy (NIA) referrals here
• UASC referrals here
• Any other referrals where protected characteristic issues have been relevant.

Outcome 4

Children and young people are empowered to take the lead in relation to advocacy services and their rights, wishes and feelings and championed.

Suggestions for inclusion:

• Service feedback – were CYP happy with the service?
• Include feedback quotes
• No of feedback forms returned
• No of CYP supported to access specialist or legal advice
• Any example where self-advocacy has been promoted.

Outcome 5

Children and young people participate in the design, planning, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of advocacy services.

• Explain how CYP are involved in the service – interviews, recruitment, development, Young People’s Advisory group to the service.