Peer-reviewed article

The experience and impact of advocacy support for looked-after children and young people within child welfare services: A systematic review of participation-enabling practice

James Lunn, Paul McCafferty, Davy; id_orcid 0000-0001-7053-9069 Hayes · 8 Apr 2026

Abstract

Abstract Children and young people (C&YP) have a right, under Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, to express their views freely in all matters affecting them and to have those views given due weight. Despite this, meaningful participation within child welfare services remains uneven and frequently constrained by organizational, professional, and structural factors. Independent advocacy is widely promoted as a mechanism for supporting C&YP’s participation by enabling them to understand their rights, articulate their views, and have those views represented within decision-making processes. However, the extent to which advocacy fulfils this participation-enabling role in practice has not been systematically synthesized. This article reports on a systematic review of empirical research examining the experiences and perceived impact of advocacy support for looked-after C&YP, analysed explicitly through a participation lens. Thirteen peer-reviewed studies published since the introduction of the UNCRC were included following comprehensive database searching and rigorous screening. Data were extracted and analysed thematically, with particular attention to how advocacy shapes opportunities for C&YP’s voices to be expressed, heard, and acted upon within child welfare decision-making.