1. CHCADV001 - Facilitate the interests and rights of clients

2. Advocacy
What is advocacy?

3. What is Advocacy?
Advocacy is a social justice principle that addresses fundamental issues such as:
Access to opportunity
Access to services
Disempowerment
Disadvantage
Exclusion
Fairness
Human rights
Justice
Racism

4. What is an Advocate?
When standing up for the rights of another person you are ‘advocating’ for them. Therefore, an advocate is a person who speaks, argues or stands up for the needs, rights and opinions of another.

5. When looking at client rights and advocacy we need to consider:
the need for advocacy
the meaning of ‘rights’ including human, moral and legal
being aware of ‘rights’ in community services
your responsibilities, as well as individual needs and wants.

6. Although we are all equal, some sectors of our population are much more vulnerable than others.
This group might include, for example, people with intellectual, mental health or physical disabilities, people with poor literacy or numeracy skills, older people and children.
As a result, some sectors of society have a greater need for advocacy than others

7. It is important that you also remember that not all people need or want another person to represent them

8. CLIENT’S RIGHTS The right to freedom of choice
The right to be treated with respect and courtesy
The right to be informed and consulted about a range of services
The right to an advocate
The right to privacy and confidentiality
The right to make a complaint
Personal safety and security

9. Client’s Rights Freedom of choice
Access to services and information about those services
Personal safety and security
Access to rights, protection and legal remedies

10. Client’s Rights
As a social educator you need to help clients identify their needs and determine if their rights are being upheld, that is their;
Physical needs
Medical/health needs
Emotional needs
Social needs
Spiritual needs
Financial needs and
Cultural needs
Sexual needs

11. Have you ever had to advocate for someone, client, relative or friend?
Examples of advocacy
Have you ever had to advocate for someone, client, relative or friend?
What did you do?

12. Denial of service/entitlement – eg. Housing, Centrelink Discrimination
Examples of Case Advocacy Issues (Hepworth & Larsen 1993 p504 in Weber, 2006)
Denial of service/entitlement – eg. Housing, Centrelink
Discrimination
Unable to act effectively on own behalf – eg. Institutionalised in homes/prisons
Denial of civil/legal rights – eg. Unlawful detention of juvenile; illegal eviction
Adverse impact of organisation procedures/facilities
Immediate crisis needs

13. Types of Advocacy
Self advocacy – relates to the ability of an individual to advocate for themselves as opposed to representative advocacy
Representative advocacy is where a family member, friend or you as the disability worker directly advocates for the client
Representative advocacy by organisations may include systems advocacy (or systemic advocacy) where change is sought on an issue or a range of issues by lobbying for change, campaigning during an election or by taking legal action.

14. Types of Advocacy
Systems advocacy is based on bringing about a change to policies, community attitudes and the law
Can occur at the local, state and national level
May involve collaborative advocacy where organisations who represent people with a diverse range of disabilities can come together and advocate collaboratively
Examples include:
Associations of carers
Family support groups
Chronic disease alliances
Palliative care Associations

15. WHY??? What Advocacy Is NOT Mediation or conciliation
Counselling or therapy
Providing a program or service
Interpreting
WHY???

16. Advocacy Services Aim Increase control over given service
Overcome barriers
Protect human rights
Ensure a better quality of life
Be responsive to and emphasise individual needs and wishes
Aim to empower
Challenge stereotypes and stigmas

17. Principles of advocacy
Client Direction in terms of advocacy requirements.
Conflict Management which require the avoidance of confrontational approaches as much as possible
Confidentiality when dealing with client issues
Cultural Sensitivity in terms of client needs
Duty of Care to advocate in ways that will not create harm or disadvantage to the client or others where a duty of care applies

18. Principles of advocacy
Empowerment to increase the power and control of clients over their lives
Needs Based in terms of providing services according to need
Partisanship in terms of being on side with the clients and not to act as ‘neutral umpires’ or mediators
Independent in terms of focusing solely on the rights and interests of the client without a conflict of interest

19. Determining ability to advocate for self
Should assess:
Ability to communicate: Some people may have complex communication needs and rely on augmentative and alternative devices to communicate which may place limitations on their self advocacy skills.
Impact of their disability related condition: Some people with a disability will be unable to self advocate because of their disability related condition
Willingness to advocate: Self advocacy relies on individuals who are prepared to stand up for their rights and to identify their needs

20. The steps involved in determining self-advocacy ability include:
Consultation with client.
Obtain consent from client/guardian for support to be given.
Consultation with all interested parties.
Understanding your duty of care.
Considering client competence and capacity.
Outcome – determining a balance of advocacy.

21. When you consult with your client you need to follow these steps:
Listen to their story and understand their issue.
Repeat the story back to your client to make sure you understand it.
Understand the essential elements in the story. This will include the needs and wants of your client.
Determine how much information your client has or how much more information they will need to get.
Discuss different methods or courses of action that could be used to solve their issue.
Discuss with your client the outcomes they expect in relation to their story or issue.

22. Stages in representative advocacy
Preparation You should discuss and prepare strategies on outcomes being sought by the client
Advocating the issue Involves speaking, acting or writing on behalf of the individual to another person or group. What comprises the nature of the advocacy will depend on the circumstances and your knowledge and skills of advocacy
Monitoring progress and outcomes You should monitor your progress and keep records of all meetings, telephone calls, and written communication and follow through on your advocacy strategies and agreed outcomes

23. Ensure confidentiality
The client will expect that any personal information that is conveyed to you in writing or verbally as a part of your advocacy role stays private and secure
As you are aware, the right to privacy is based on international, Commonwealth and state laws

24. Discussion of progress and outcomes
You should explain all discussions that occurred and reasons for the decisions that were made
If a satisfactory outcome was achieved you should check that the outcome is being implemented satisfactorily
If the advocacy proved to be unsatisfactory then options to proceed or not to proceed need to be made by the client

25. Advocate for clients In summary client advocacy involves:
An assessment which indicates that the client may or may not require advocacy support
Raising issues with the most appropriate person/people in a way that upholds the rights and supports reasonable expectations of the client
Initiating and implementing strategies for addressing individual needs in consultation with appropriate personnel

26. Why is it important to be an advocate for people with disabilities?
Final Discussion
Why is it important to be an advocate for people with disabilities?

27. Advocacy Services (in NSW)
MDAA – Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association
Residential Aged Care Advocacy Services Program
Self Advocacy Sydney (SAS)
The Aged Care Rights Service
Office of Protective Commissioner
Guardianship Tribunal
Complaints Unit of the Health Department
Grey Power
Ethnic Affairs Council