s to looked after children, to children who are not looked after but are in need, and to young people leaving care. 1.6 Advocacy services will have to be provided for a looked after child, a child in need or care leaver directly making or intending to make a complaint on their own behalf. Rights to advocacy do not extend to a parent or another person making a complaint on behalf of a child. DEVELOPING A LISTENING CULTURE 1.7 The Government wants advocacy and children’s rights services to be linked to other activities which help professionals to listen to children, thereby creating a culture of openness where listening and responding to children and young people’s concerns become an integral part of everyday practice. 1.8 The requirement for the participation of children and young people in day to day decision-making in their own care was spelt out in The Government’s Objectives for Children’s Social Services (September 1999). Objective 8 requires local authorities actively to involve users and carers in planning services and in tailoring individual packages of care, and to ensure effective mechanisms are in place to handle complaints. 1.9 The report of the Waterhouse inquiry, Lost in Care, cited many examples of children who had attempted to complain about an unhappy situation but whose voices had not been heard. The Government’s response to the Waterhouse report emphasised the importance of hearing children’s wishes and views in all aspects of the complaints process. Similarly, the Utting Report, People Like Us, made recommendations about a culture change which supports children and young people to speak openly about their experiences and concerns. “Putting something right about assessment, review, consultation or placement at an early stage can only improve the effect