Independent Advocacy Service: child rights and wellbeing impact assessment

Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment Template

1. Brief Summary

Type of proposal:

• Decision of a strategic nature relating to the rights and wellbeing of children

Name the proposal, and describe its overall aims and intended purpose.

Name: Change of service provider for the Social Security Independent Advocacy Service from 31 January 2026.

Purpose and aims: The proposal ensures continuity of provision of independent advocacy to disabled people engaging with the Scottish social security system, in line with the duty on Ministers under Section 10 of the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018. The current contract with VoiceAbility for provision of a national service ends on 31 January 2026. A new procurement was therefore required in advance of this date. Following a fair and open tender process, Advice Direct Scotland (ADS) was awarded the contract and will deliver the service under a new contract from 01 February 2026 to 31 January 2028.

The policy aim behind the provision of independent advocacy remains unchanged. Its purpose continues to be to ensure that disabled people, including disabled children, can access independent advocacy so that they are able to engage effectively with the Scottish social security system.

In line with the Social Security Independent Advocacy Service Standards, the service exists to help individuals be heard and understood; know, understand and secure their rights; ask questions and access information; express their views, wishes and desired outcomes; be fully involved and make informed decisions; and safeguard their rights where they face communication barriers. These principles remain central to supporting children’s rights within the Scottish social security context.

The updated contract does not alter the purpose or scope of the service. Instead, it strengthens how it is delivered, with enhancements that will continue to ensure the quality, accessibility, consistency and reach of the service. These changes may be particularly beneficial for disabled children who may also belong to seldom heard groups or other communities of interest, including those from minority ethnic communities, Gypsy/Traveller families, refugee and asylum‑seeking families, young parent families, care‑experienced young people, or children living in households affected by mental health problems, chronic illness or poverty.

The strengthened requirements, which cover multi‑channel access with in‑person delivery as default, enhanced inclusive communication, trauma‑informed and culturally competent practice, and improved monitoring of performance of the service have the potential to improve how disabled children and their families understand their rights, express their views, and access the support they are entitled to under the Scottish social security system. New requirements to proactively engage seldom heard groups and collect opt-in individual-level data on service users who identify as members of these groups may also help identify and address inequalities in access.

Start date of proposal’s development: October 2025

Start date of CRWIA process: October 2025

2. With reference given to the requirements of the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024, which aspects of the proposal are relevant to/impact upon children’s rights?

The service continues to be relevant to a range of UNCRC rights, including non‑discrimination (Article 2), the right to be heard (Article 12), children with disabilities (Article 23), and rights to social security and an adequate standard of living (Articles 26 and 27).

Overall, the proposal continues to uphold the statutory rights, mandated by legislation such as the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, of disabled children, young carers and young parents to participate in decisions affecting them and to engage effectively with the Scottish social security system. While the core statutory purpose remains unchanged, the strengthened contract requirements may enhance the realisation of children’s rights—particularly for those who face multiple or compounding barriers to accessing and navigating the Scottish social security system.

Relevant UNCRC Articles

Article 2 – Non-discrimination

Positive – The provision of this service upholds a statutory right for disabled children to ensure they have equality of access to the Scottish social security system.

Article 12 – Respect for views of the child

Positive – Advocacy strengthens children’s ability to express their views and participate in decisions affecting them under the Scottish social security system.

Article 23 – Children with disabilities

Positive – Advocacy directly improves participation, communication, decision‑making and access to entitlements for children with disabilities.

Article 26 – Social security

Positive – Advocacy supports children, young people and families who may need additional support to navigate the Scottish social security system fairly, thereby increasing access to the social security system.

Article 42 – Knowledge of rights

Positive – Advocacy supports an increased awareness of rights, entitlements and processes associated with the Scottish social security system in accessible, child‑friendly ways.

3. Please provide a summary of the evidence gathered which will be used to inform your decision-making and the content of the proposal

Evidence from:

• Seldom Heard Groups research
• Get Heard Scotland Citizens’ Panel
• Tender development engagement with Disabled People Organisations
• Monitoring data from current provider (VoiceAbility)
• Evidence from existing research, reports and policy expertise
• Feedback from stakeholders

4. Further to the evidence described at ‘3’ have you identified any 'gaps' in evidence which may prevent determination of impact? If yes, please provide an explanation of how they will be addressed

The evidence review by Scottish Centre for Social Research found that there are data gaps relating to seldom heard children and families, particularly those from minority ethnic communities, Gypsy/Traveller families, refugee or asylum‑seeking households, young parent families, and care-experienced young people. The Seldom Heard Groups evidence review also highlights that these groups are often missing from administrative and survey data, which makes it difficult to assess the scale of exclusion, monitor take‑up, or identify the specific barriers experienced by children within these communities. These gaps limit the ability to quantify how many children within seldom heard groups require advocacy, the nature of their needs, and how effectively current provision is reaching them. The review also notes that intersectional data, capturing where children belong to more than one seldom heard or protected‑characteristic group, is particularly limited, meaning some of the most marginalised children are statistically invisible within current datasets, making it challenging to understand their experiences, identify disproportionate barriers, or assess equity of access.

Following engagement with Disabled People’s Organisations, advocacy providers, Social Security Scotland staff, and organisations supporting seldom heard and/or certain protected characteristic groups during the tender development process, the resulting strengthened contract contains a number of measures designed to mitigate these evidence gaps. Schedule 1 sets out new, more granular Management Information (MI) requirements, including mandatory collection of opt-in: individual‑level data on seldom heard group membership; full protected‑characteristic data (beyond disability); postcode‑level information to allow analysis by Scottish Index of Multiple Depravation (SIMD), rurality and local authority; and details of adjustments, communication needs and barriers encountered. The updated contract requirements set out in the tender specification require the Service Provider to gather and report this information quarterly and to use consistent categories for the duration of the contract, enabling the production of comparable, high‑quality datasets over time. It also requires the Provider to supply MI in a format that supports intersectional analysis, to help the Scottish Government understand how the service is being used by different groups of disabled children and families. In addition, the contract introduces requirements for proactive engagement with seldom heard groups and feedback mechanisms that capture Advocacy Partner experience in an opt‑in, child‑sensitive way.

Evidence from the Get Heard Scotland report further shows that stigma, shame and fear are major drivers of non‑take‑up and disproportionately affect seldom‑heard and certain protected characteristic groups, including minority ethnic families, disabled people, refugees and young parents. Panellists explained that these barriers often result in delaying or avoiding claims altogether, sometimes to the point of crisis. Crucially, they identified advocacy support as one of the most effective ways to overcome stigma and empower people to engage with the system. However, they also reported that the existing advocacy service is not widely known about, suggesting a gap not only in data but in awareness and reach. The contract’s strengthened requirements for proactive engagement with seldom‑heard groups, improved MI requirements and clear visibility of support are therefore essential to addressing this gap and ensuring that advocacy reaches the children and families who need it most.

Taken together, these measures are expected to tackle current evidence gaps and provide an improved picture of how disabled children and families access and experience advocacy, supporting stronger assessment of impact over the life of the contract.

5. Analysis of Evidence

The evidence indicates that continuation and strengthening of the Independent Advocacy Service will have a positive and meaningful impact on the rights and wellbeing of disabled children and young people, as well as those disabled children who may also be apart of seldom heard or marginalised groups. It supports the realisation of key UNCRC rights, including non‑discrimination (Article 2), the right to be heard (Article 12), the rights of children with disabilities (Article 23), and the right to social security (Article 26).

The Seldom Heard Groups review demonstrates that disabled children and families face psychological, learning and compliance barriers, compounded by stigma, fear, complex processes, inaccessible communication, and mistrust of official systems. These barriers are intensified for families from minority ethnic groups, Gypsy/Traveller communities, refugee and asylum‑seeking households, care‑experienced young people, young parents, and those experiencing trauma, bereavement or domestic abuse.

The Get Heard Scotland Citizens’ Panel provides further evidence on how stigma inhibits benefit take‑up. Panellists described intense feelings of shame, fear of being judged or disbelieved, and a reluctance to disclose personal circumstances, all of which undermine access to entitlements. Many reported delaying applications until crisis point and spoke of the cumulative impact of having to repeatedly “prove” disability or hardship. Crucially, the Panel identified independent advocacy as one of the most effective enablers of take‑up, because it provides trusted, non‑judgemental support, helps people understand their rights, reduces fear, and counters stigma. Their second‑highest priority recommendation was that expanding and investing in advocacy would materially increase take‑up, especially if embedded within a human‑rights‑based framework.

Stakeholder engagement reinforces this, highlighting that disabled children and families benefit significantly from support that is trauma‑informed, culturally competent, accessible and capable of providing non‑instructed advocacy where children are unable to articulate their views. The evidence shows that advocacy empowers children and their families to navigate complex systems, express their needs, and make informed decisions, directly supporting their rights to participation and dignity.

Evidence from existing research, reports and policy expertise

A strong body of evidence demonstrates that disabled children and young people, as well as children in families experiencing disability, face substantial psychological, learning and compliance barriers in accessing social security. An evidence review conducted by the Scottish Centre for Social Research into the experience of seldom heard groups within the Scottish social security system shows that disabled households have significantly higher risks of poverty coupled with additional and often intersecting barriers to take-up, with many families experiencing stigma, unaware of entitlements or unable to navigate complex systems without support. The Seldom Heard Groups evidence review identifies stigma, fear, trauma, system complexity, inaccessible information, and burdensome evidence requirements as major barriers to benefit take‑up, particularly affecting disabled people, minority ethnic families, Gypsy/Traveller families, refugees, young parent families, care‑experienced young people, kinship carers and families with fluctuating or less visible conditions. These barriers are compounded by digital exclusion, low levels of functional literacy, mistrust of official systems, and the dual complexity of devolved and reserved benefits. The evidence also highlights that providing tailored, culturally competent, trauma‑informed support and accessible formats can reduce these barriers and improve access to social security for children in seldom heard groups.

In addition to previous evidence, findings from the Get Heard Scotland Citizens’ Panel highlight the central role that independent advocacy could play in addressing the well-established barriers to benefit take‑up, including, stigma, fear of being disbelieved, trauma associated with retelling personal stories, and uncertainty about eligibility. Panellists consistently described stigma as deeply ingrained across families, communities and services, with some reporting that trusted, rights‑based advocacy support was often the turning point that enabled them to apply for the support they were entitled to. The Panel’s second‑highest priority recommendation was that better investment in independent advocacy would directly increase benefit take‑up, especially if delivered through a human‑rights‑based approach and extended to all who need it. This reinforces the importance of maintaining and strengthening advocacy provision for disabled children and families within the Scottish social security system.

Consultation/feedback from stakeholders

Engagement with Disabled People’s Organisations, advocacy providers, Social Security Scotland staff, and organisations supporting seldom heard or marginalised groups, such as Gypsy/Travellers, refugees, migrants and minority ethnic communities, highlighted consistent challenges affecting children and families. Relevant stakeholders identified low awareness of the Social Security Independent Advocacy Service, confusion between advocacy and advice, inconsistent referral pathways, and the need for accessible communication and in‑person support, especially for disabled children, young parents, families with English as an additional language, and Gypsy/Traveller and refugee communities. They stressed the importance of non‑instructed advocacy for children with communication barriers; trauma‑informed practice for families affected by violence, bereavement, or poor mental health and culturally adapted communication for minority ethnic groups. Stakeholders also emphasised that existing service users expressed distrust of official systems and that families with complex needs often disengage without support. These insights directly informed strengthened contract requirements around multi‑channel access, inclusive communication, cultural competence, non‑instructed advocacy, and proactive engagement with seldom heard groups, all of which are essential to enabling disabled children and families to understand their rights and participate meaningfully.

Feedback directly from children and young people

While direct consultation with children and young people was not undertaken for this CRWIA, existing evidence from organisations that represent the views of children and young people was also utilised to draw conclusions on impact. The themes that arose from this engagement are strengthened by findings from an evidence review by the Scottish Centre for Social Research into the experience of seldom heard groups in the Scottish social security landscape, which includes children and young people. Evidence shows that many children and young people experience stigma, low awareness of entitlements, confusion about eligibility, and stress when navigating benefit systems, factors which disproportionately affect disabled children and those in seldom heard groups. Young carers often do not identify with the term “carer” and therefore miss out on linked support; young parents report feeling judged or discouraged from seeking assistance; and care‑experienced young people highlight past negative or traumatic interactions with official systems which deter future engagement. Refugee and asylum‑seeking children face additional communication, literacy and trust barriers. Evidence from these organisations demonstrates that independent advocacy can play a key role in ensuring disabled children and young people can express their views, understand decisions being made about them, and access their rightful entitlements within the social security system.

6. What changes (if any) have been made to the proposal as a result of this assessment?

The strengthened contract responds to these findings. It embeds requirements that directly address the barriers identified in the evidence, including mandatory inclusive communication, non‑instructed advocacy, multi‑channel access with in‑person support as the default, and enhanced engagement with seldom heard groups. The improved MI requirements will allow for detailed intersectional analysis, reducing current evidence gaps and enabling better assessment of reach and equity.

Overall, the evidence strongly suggests that continuing and enhancing the Independent Advocacy Service will improve the experience of disabled children and families interacting with the social security system, reduce stigma‑related barriers, and strengthen the realisation of children’s rights and wellbeing.