National Youth Advocacy Service
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| Registration no. | 1012485 |
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| Focus | Advocacy, children's, young person's & adult's rights |
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Area served
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England, Wales |
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Key people
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Christine Renouf, Chief Executive |
| Website | http://www.nyas.net |
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Formerly called
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National Youth Advocacy Service |
Christine Renouf,
NYAS is a UK charity providing socio-legal services through teams of advocates and lawyers. NYAS offers information, advice, advocacy and legal representation to children, young people and vulnerable adults throughout England and Wales. NYAS provides a safety net for people of all ages who have nowhere else to turn.
NYAS provides a range of information, advocacy and legal services for children, young people and vulnerable adults to enable them to speak for themselves. NYAS advocates and lawyers help clients to express their wishes and feelings and to participate in decision making and planning that affects their lives. The charity also influences local and national policy makers and practitioners to acknowledge the legitimacy and importance of children's, young people's and vulnerable adult's rights. Formerly known as the National Youth Advocacy Service, the charity changed its name to NYAS in March 2012. NYAS works for the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
NYAS operates a freephone helpline providing access to all its services within England and Wales. The Helpline is open 9am until 8pm weekdays and 10am until 4pm on Saturdays excluding Bank Holidays. Assistance from advice workers is also available via chatroom, email and in writing.
NYAS provides a range of rights based services for children, young people and vulnerable adults through a network of qualified advocates. Advocates ensure that the views of children, young people and vulnerable adults are listened to, particularly in decisions which are made about them. Advocacy is also offered to carers to help them access services.
NYAS provides advocates for visits to children’s homes (including secure homes) and inpatient settings. NYAS Independent Mental Health Advocates (IMHAs) also offer assistance to patients who are detained in hospital.
NYAS is able to provide volunteer Independent Visitors for children in care across England and Wales, Independent Persons for the purposes of secure reviews and local authority complaints and Investigating Officers for complaints and Regulation 44 Visitors for children’s homes.
Family Law. NYAS provides separate representation for children and young people where a family court considers it necessary under the Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR). Under FPR, ‘a child who is capable of forming his or her own views has the right to express those views in the proceedings with the views being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child. The child should have the opportunity to have their situation represented separately from that of any of the adults.’
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