​​At The EYC Project, we advocate for young people who are too often spoken about, but rarely spoken to. For families and professionals affected by multiple disadvantage, navigating complex systems can feel like entering a different world. Conversations are full of jargon, decisions are made without clear explanation, and vital support is often delayed or denied because people simply don’t know how to ask for what they need.

​

Take, for example, a “PEx” a permanent exclusion from school or a “managed move,” when a child is removed from one school to another. These terms are often used casually in meetings, yet carry enormous weight. Parents and carers unfamiliar with this language may not fully grasp the consequences or the choices available. This is just one example of how situations like this across education, health, social care, and youth justice, create similar outcomes for disadvantaged people every day. This leaves young people unsupported and unseen.​ That’s why our advocacy is built around clarity, compassion, and empowerment.

​

We walk alongside young people and their families, helping them understand their rights, ask informed questions, and have a voice in decisions that impact their lives. We translate complex systems into human language, challenge exclusionary or punitive practices, and ensure that young people are treated as individuals not just problems to be managed.

​

We also recognise that when adults don’t have the right language or understanding, they can unintentionally step back, even when they care deeply. But we believe that with the right support and tools, adults can step forward with confidence. By empowering parents, carers, and professionals with accessible knowledge and language, we equip them to advocate more effectively and to be the consistent, informed allies that young people need.

​

This might look like attending school meetings with a parent, supporting a young person through a housing interview, helping a family understand a CAMHS referral, or simply being the calm, informed voice in a room full of decisions.

​

If you or someone you know needs advocacy that truly sees the whole picture get in touch.