eir agreement; ● to support children and young people pursuing a complaint through every stage of the complaints procedure and to provide them with information about their rights and options, helping them clarify their complaint and the outcomes they are seeking; ● to speak for or represent children at any stage of the complaints process, including at the informal stage or at any formal hearing or interviews. 3.11 Advocacy is about empowering children and young people to make sure that their rights are respected and their views and wishes are heard at all times. In relation to complaints, we intend advocacy to mean the provision of assistance and representation to individuals to make complaints. Our intention is that this should involve the advocate 18 facilitating the making of a complaint which a child wishes to make, being led by the child’s decision. An advocate should not prevent a child making a complaint because the advocate believes this is not in the child’s best interests. CHILDREN’S RIGHTS OFFICERS 3.12 There is increasing overlap of roles between advocates and children’s rights officers. The local authority will need to give clear and age appropriate information to make sure that the child understands their separate roles and responsibilities and in particular where they can access individual advocacy support. Some local authorities have established children’s rights services which deliver individual advocacy services. Many focus primarily on participation work. INDEPENDENT REVIEWING OFFICERS 3.13 It is currently intended that the new Regulations and guidance are expected to come into force in September 2004. Independent reviewing officers monitor the review process of the care plans of looked after children by local authorities and challenge poor practice b