An individual or organization engaging in advocacy typically seeks to protect children's rights which may be abridged or abused in a number of areas.
A child advocate may also seek to ensure that children have access to resources or services which will benefit their lives such as education, childcare and proper parenting.
Other child advocates exist in school, community, and home environments, and work on an individual, group or governmental level(s) to protect and nurture children.
In Wales the Welsh Assembly Government has set up the National Advocacy Meic helpline which allows children to talk directly to advocates.
They can help provide a voice for children and young people, ensure just and humane conditions of custody, and guard the privacy rights surrounding record provisions.
They can also work to ensure that the special legal protections assigned to young people are provided with dignity and fairness.
[4] History of child advocacy centers: In 1985, Congressman Robert E. "Bud" Cramer (AL), who was then a District Attorney, organized an effort to create a better system to help abused children.
He was frustrated as a prosecutor, because he was having difficulty prosecuting child abuse cases and getting guilty verdicts or pleas for offenders of crimes against children.
Their goals are to serve the needs of children, families and professionals while addressing mental health, medical, educational, legal and legislative issues.