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English This article draws on two empirical studies, one with women who had experienced domestic violence and the other with children and young people in public care. It presents reflections by two feminist social workers on how poststructuralism influenced their research practices in social work. French Cet article fait appel à deux études empiriques; la première auprès de femmes victimes de violence conjugale et la seconde auprès d'enfants et d'adolescents pris en charge par les services sociaux. Il présente les réflexions de deux travailleuses sociales féministes sur la façon dont le poststructuralisme a influencé leurs recherches en travail social. Spanish Este artículo llama la atención sobre dos estudios empíricos, uno con mujeres que tuvieron experiencias de violencia doméstica y el otro con niños y gente joven con cuidados públicos. Presenta reflexiones de dos trabajadoras sociales feministas, sobre cómo el post-estructuralismo ha influenciado sus prácticas de investigación en trabajo social.

Boylan J, Ing P. 'Seen but not heard' -young people's experience of advocacy Int J Soc Welfare 2005: 14: 2-12 © Blackwell Publishing, 2005 This article draws on two pieces of empirical research undertaken in England with young people in public care. The research examined young people's experiences of a range of advocacy services, and the extent to which the involvement of an advocate facilitated young people's voices being heard in decision-making. The research responded to contemporary concerns about children's participatory rights, citizenship and social inclusion, set in the context of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This article examines the strengths and limitations of advocacy for young people in public care and compares the different types of advocacy services that are available to young people and considers the extent to which adult perceptions of childhood and youth frame the services that are offered. It provides a comparison of the outcomes for young people who have had an advocate and those who have not. The concluding discussion argues that young people in public care feel excluded and marginalised from decision-making processes, and that advocacy has a pivotal role to play in placing at centre stage the wishes and feelings of young people.

The emergence of independent advocacy services for children and young people has had an impact on promoting the rights of children and young people. Historically, advocacy has been considered an important social work skill underpinned by principles of human rights and social justice. However, the development of independent advocacy and changes in the delivery of health and social care services have had an impact on how far social workers now feel able to directly advocate for service users. This paper interrogates the tensions faced by social workers in managing their advocacy role through a discussion of advocacy in relation to children and young people. By examining the concepts of 'best interests' and the welfare of the child the paper considers dilemmas for social workers committed to advocating for children and young people. It argues that if principles of social justice are to be upheld practitioners need to actively consider ways to reclaim a culture of advocacy.