Independent Visitor Service Durham County Council

Independent visitors are volunteers who are matched with children and young people who are ‘in care’ and who have little or no contact with their families. The Children Act 1989 states that all children and young people in care, aged from around 5 to 18, who would benefit, must be offered the opportunity of having an ordinary adult in their lives. Independent Visitors are ‘normal people’ from all walks of life who have some time to offer a child or young person. They are unpaid, but they recover expenses, including transportation and some money for activities. The Guidance to The Children Act 1989 defines the Independent Visitor’s role as ‘visiting, advising and befriending’. They are often able to provide a sense of ‘normal’ life to a young person who is living in a children’s home, who have moved among numerous foster placements or are in a kinship care arrangement. Young people regard Independent Visitors as ‘adult friends’ who are able to take them on activities, support them through difficult times, provide a listening ear, and, in many cases, offer a long-term relationship.

Active opportunities

Independent Visitor

Ferryhill   Weardale   Bishop Auckland   Spennymoor   Sedgefield   Peterlee   Seaham   Consett   Crook/Willington   Chester le Street   Teesdale   Newton Aycliffe   Stanley   Durham City  
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          email:  'mark.denhollander@durham.gov.uk',
          type:  'Public  Sector',
          telephone:  '07584345947',
          contactPerson:  'Mark  den  Hollander',
          website:  'www.durham.gov.uk',
          description:
            'Independent  visitors  are  volunteers  who  are  matched  with  children  and  young  people  who  are  ‘in  care’  and  who  have  little  or  no  contact  with  their  families.  The  Children  Act  1989  states  that  all  children  and  young  people  in  care,  aged  from  around  5  to  18,  who  would  benefit,  must  be  offered  the  opportunity  of  having  an  ordinary  adult  in  their  lives.  Independent  Visitors  are  ‘normal  people’  from  all  walks  of  life  who  have  some  time  to  offer  a  child  or  young  person.  They  are  unpaid,  but  they  recover  expenses,  including  transportation  and  some  money  for  activities.  The  Guidance  to  The  Children  Act  1989  defines  the  Independent  Visitor’s  role  as  ‘visiting,  advising  and  befriending’.  They  are  often  able  to  provide  a  sense  of  ‘normal’  life  to  a  young  person  who  is  living  in  a  children’s  home,  who  have  moved  among  numerous  foster  placements  or  are  in  a  kinship  care  arrangement.    Young  people  regard  Independent  Visitors  as  ‘adult  friends’  who  are  able  to  take  them  on  activities,  support  them  through  difficult  times,  provide  a  listening  ear,  and,  in  many  cases,  offer  a  long-term  relationship.',
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                      'Independent  visitors  are  volunteers  who  are  matched  with  children  and  young  people  who  are  in  care  and  who  have  little  or  no  contact  with  their  families.  The  scheme  is  designed  so  you  meet  the  young  person  on  a  regular  basis  to  do  activities  you  both  enjoy  and  hopefully  in  time  build  up  a  positive  relationship.\n\nWe  seek  volunteers  from  all  walks  of  life  who  have  some  free  time  to  offer  a  child  or  young  person.  These  young  people  are  living  in  a  children’s  home,  they  may  have  moved  among  numerous  foster  placements  or  could  be  in  a  kinship  care  arrangement.\n',
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                              name:  'Newton  Aycliffe'  },
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                    startDate:  2022-04-28T11:43:38.697Z,
                    endDate:  2025-04-29T00:00:00.000Z,
                    whatYouWillBeDoing:
                      'Young  people  regard  Independent  Visitors  as  adult  friends  who  support  them  through  difficult  times,  take  them  on  activities  such  as  supporting  the  young  person  to  join  a  sports  team,  seeing  films  at  the  cinema,  cycling,  bowling  or  dog  walking.  You  will  provide  a  listening  ear  and,  in  many  cases,  offer  a  long-term  support  to  the  young  person.',
                    skillsExperienceAndQualitiesNeeded:
                      'Any  applicants  will  need  to  be  over  the  age  of  18.  They  must  be  as  independent  as  possible  from  Social  Services,  and  for  this  reason  they  must  not  work  for  Durham  County  Council  or  be  an  elected  member  of  the  local  council.\n\nNo  formal  education  or  qualifications  are  needed  to  be  an  Independent  Visitor,  although  some  personal  qualities  are  pre-requisite  to  the  role.  Independent  Visitors  need  to  have  an  active  interest  in  the  welfare  of  children  and  must  have  flexible  attitude  and  be  resilient.  Above  all,  Independent  Visitors  need  to  be  reliable  and  committed  to  visiting  their  child  or  young  person  regularly.\n',
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                      'Expenses  for  activities  and  mileage  are  paid.    There  is  a  full  training  package  with  ongoing  support  through  supervision  provided.    A  driving  license  is  not  necessary  but  is  useful.    A  enhanced  criminal  check  will  be  requested  paid  for  the  service.    ',
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