Ms Niamh McCarthy:

We are very much at the stage of service design, so we are reviewing all best practice in other countries. We have come across certain models, particularly those used in Wales and Scotland, that are quite progressive. They face similar issues. The Welsh model for parents of children in care has only been in place for two years, but it has been subject to quite an extensive review. The national advocacy service there is not State-run, it is run by a voluntary body. It is the same in Scotland. In England, there is a more peer-led advocacy model, rather than advocates being emloyed from different charitable or voluntary organisations. That model has many pros and cons to it as well.

To answer the Senator's question, in Scotland and Wales the models seem to be working really well. They have had really positive outcomes and have received positive feedback from the parents using the services. They have been able to reduce adversity within the systems, and they are starting to influence systemic change, which is all really positive. In England, the peer-led model is really supportive. It creates learning and participation in terms of voices being heard clearly. We are in the infancy of this process, and those are the models that we have looked at so far. There is also an Australian model. I can see Ms Swann gesturing; she can probably speak to it as well. It is a strong model of practice that is evidence-based.