The 2008 Children and Young Persons Act says that all children and young people in care should have the opportunity of having adults around them, who are not part of Social Services, if it is in their interests to do so. These adults are called Independent Visitors. They are not like your parents, your social worker, or your carers—that is why they are called ‘independent’. They are ordinary people who volunteer their time because they like children and young people.
An Independent Visitor is someone who could go with you on walks, for coffee, take you to the cinema, help you keep in touch with your religion or your culture, help you at your reviews, help you with your school work, play sport with you, sit on the beach with you and listen and talk. . . Your Independent Visitor is someone who could share all sorts of things with you
Do I Have a Say in What Happens?
Yes. You have a say from the very
beginning, when the idea of having an Independent Visitor is first talked about. You can decide what kind of a person you might like to have as an
Independent Visitor, what you might like to do with that person, and you can also decide if an Independent Visitor is not right for you. You do not have to have anIndependent Visitor if you don’t want one.
What Do I Do Now?
Your social worker may have already talked to you about Independent Visitors at your reviews. If you think you would like one, you can talk to your social worker or your carer, or if you would like to know more about having an Independent Visitor then please contact:
Moira, The Independent Visitor Co-ordinator at YAP;
telephone 01273 29 5512.