Our History

Partners in Advocacy started as part of Barnardo’s in the 1980s, providing independent advocacy for children and young people with additional support needs.

Recognising the need for independent advocacy to be structurally, financially, and psychologically separate from other service provision (Scottish Independent Advocacy Principles and Standards), Partners in Advocacy became a registered Scottish Charity and Company Limited by Guarantee in 1998 supporting people with learning disabilities. We are very proud to be one of the oldest established independent advocacy organisations in Scotland.

The first Chair of the Board of Trustees was Marjorie Arthurs, who worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the importance of independent advocacy for vulnerable children, young people, adults, and older people. Initially setting up a volunteer workforce, Partners in Advocacy provided Citizen Advocacy, forming long-term one-to-one partnerships with people with learning disabilities. Working with the Board of Trustees, the CEO and a small team of advocacy workers, Marjorie oversaw the expansion of our independent advocacy services into Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Edinburgh & the Lothians and Dundee, funded by a wide range of commissioners and grants, including the then Scottish Executive, Edinburgh City Council, Dundee City Council, BBC Children in Need and Lloyds TSB, until her retirement in December 2001.

Since then, Partners in Advocacy has grown year on year, working in communities across the Central Belt and Tayside, identifying gaps in independent advocacy provision and influencing the agenda around the need for quality independent advocacy services for all vulnerable people who need an independent voice and knowledge of their rights and entitlements.

In 2018, as a result of the amendments to the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004, Partners in Advocacy successful tendered in partnership with Cairn Legal to provide an independent advocacy and legal service for children aged 12-15 with additional support needs across Scotland, funded by Scottish Government. Partners in Advocacy is the only independent advocacy organisation in Scotland with nationwide coverage, and we are proud to have supported hundreds of young people to date to access the support they need to achieve their educational outcomes and aspirations.

In 2020, Partners in Advocacy was awarded a Scottish Government contract to provide independent advocacy for children and young people going through the Children’s Hearings System in 7 local authorities across Scotland. This busy service has grown in size and complexity over the past few years, with further developments planned as a result of recommendations in the Promise and the Hearings System Working Group’s Redesign Report. Partners in Advocacy contributes to the Children’s Hearings Expert Reference Group with a range of stakeholders.

In 2021, Highland Carers Advocacy staff TUPE’d over to Partners in Advocacy, and the team has continued to provide quality independent advocacy to unpaid carers across the Highland region. This was the first time we had advocated for carers rather than the ‘cared for’ and we have recognised the unmet need for more quality independent advocacy services for unpaid carers across Scotland.

Since making our mark in the Highlands, in 2023 Partners in Advocacy, in partnership with Advocacy Highland, have developed an independent advocacy provision for individuals with alcohol and substance use issues. This much-needed service, funded by Highland Alcohol and Drugs Partnership (ADP), has already been transformational for those supported, who feel listened to and are more aware of their rights and entitlements. Again, this has opened our eyes to the needs of this vulnerable group across Scotland, tackling stigma and recognising people who are deserving of dignity and respect.

In 2023, with funding from Corra and support from Glasgow ADP and Glasgow Children’s Planning Partnership, we relaunched a previously successful service, Glasgow Youth Independent Advocacy (GYIA). This critical service in Glasgow City supports a wide range of vulnerable children and young people, affected by a range of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), including youth justice, substance use (their own and others), abuse and trauma. Given the historical and current success of GYIA, Partners in Advocacy are keen to develop this model in other areas across Scotland.

The future is challenging for Partners in Advocacy and all charities in Scotland. With the support of our commissioners, grant funders, networks of professionals and other stakeholders, we hope that we can continue to deliver our vital services for many years to come. Independent advocacy is central to a society that upholds the human and legal rights that all should be afforded, in particular those marginalised groups and individuals who feel that their voices are unheard and not respected. For now, we will continue to support as many of those as possible.