Advocacy, not social work#
Coram Voice, once called Voice for the Child in Care, is part of the Coram group of children's charities. It provides advocacy for children and young people who are in care, on the edge of care, have or need a social worker, or have left care. An advocate is different from every other professional around you: they work only for you, make sure you understand what workers say, help you say what you want, come to meetings with you, and help you complain if something goes wrong.
Using the Advocacy Helpline#
The Advocacy Helpline is for children and young people, not adults. It can help if Coram Voice runs the advocacy service where you live, and its specialist projects may help if you are in London and homeless or disabled. You can contact it if you are in care, leaving care, or need help from children's services, want an advocate, want to know your rights, or are not getting the support you should from your social worker.
It is open on weekdays from 9.30am to 6pm, by freephone (the number does not show on bills), WhatsApp if you are 16 or over, text or email. Outside those hours you can leave a message for a call back. If English is not your first language, it can bring in a telephone interpreter. It says it is very busy and always puts children and young people first; parents, carers and professionals are pointed to its "My rights" pages instead. If it does not run advocacy where you live, its site has a page to find your local advocacy service.
What its "My rights" pages say about documents#
Coram Voice publishes nothing on changing a name. Its leaving care rights pages explain the four legal categories of care leaver, and what children's services must do for each. For a former relevant child, aged 18 up to 25, the page says children's services must provide a personal adviser, keep a pathway plan under review, and give a setting up home allowance it describes as worth at least £3,000. It also lists costs children's services might help with, including personal documentation such as a passport or citizenship. A new passport after a change of name is that kind of cost, so it is worth raising with your personal adviser.
When a decision about your name is being made#
If you are under a care order, a change of surname cannot be arranged informally: the law needs written agreement from everyone with parental responsibility, or a judge. Your wishes and feelings still matter in that decision, and having them heard is exactly what an advocate is for.
- Changing your name as a care leaver walks through the rules in care, at 16 and at 18.
- Does a child have to agree to their own name change? covers how far a young person's views count.
Without an order, a 16 or 17 year old can sign their own deed poll, and GOV.UK's guide gives free wording.
Part of the Coram group#
Coram Voice sits alongside other Coram charities, including the legal advice service Child Law Advice. Coram describes the group.
This page describes what Coram Voice publishes on its own website, read on 26 October 2026. Coram Voice has not reviewed it, and a listing here does not mean it recommends this handbook or any deed poll service.
