1. Community Development Worker - Luton
What is Advocacy?
Yvonne McKinlay
Community Development Worker - Luton

2. What is Advocacy?
Advocacy means getting support from another person to help you express your views and wishes, and to help make sure your voice is heard. Advocates empower individuals to make decisions about their lives when they feel they are not able to do this.

3. Anyone who is vulnerable may require advocacy
Who needs an Advocate?
People with;
Physical disabilities
Learning disabilities
Learning difficulties
Autism
Mental Health
Brain Acquired injuries
Sensory impairment
Anyone who is vulnerable may require advocacy

4. Empowerment Advocates do this by; Providing information
Providing different options
Listening
Supporting their point of view
Encouraging them to do things for themselves
Including them in decisions

5. Why Advocacy? Advocates will; Support Listen Encourage Inform Clarify
Aid understanding
Enable
Empower

6. Why Advocacy? Advocates will NOT; Influence Mediate Advise Take over
Lead
Put down
Discourage
Harass

7. How do we provide advocacy?
Client
POhWER will take referrals for advocacy support from clients and third parties (with the clients consent).
POhWER can also provide non-instructed advocacy for people who may not be able to refer themselves or agree to receiving advocacy support
Client
Review
Action
Issue

8. How do we provide advocacy?
Issue
When a referral has been accepted it will be allocated to an advocate.
The advocate will contact the client, or third party if appropriate, to discuss further the identified issue. An advocate may need to visit the client to support the identification of the issue.
Client
Review
Action
Issue

9. How do we provide advocacy?
Issue
When the advocate begins their work with a client they need to explain POhWERs confidentiality policy, how to make a complaint, that we are free and independent and the remit of the service.
Client
Review
Action
Issue

10. How do we provide advocacy?
Issue
When identifying the issue the advocate also needs to identify what the clients desired outcome is. The outcome will support the identification of options and the actions that will be agreed.
Client
Review
Action
Issue

11. How do we provide advocacy?
Action
Clients are given options and potential outcomes for them to make an informed decision about how to proceed.
There will be options that an advocate may not agree is the best way forward and be seen as unwise decisions.
Client
Review
Action
Issue

12. How do we provide advocacy?
Unwise Decisions
Where someone is choosing to make an unwise decision the advocate will explain the potential outcome of this and as long as the client has capacity and it is not illegal or a safeguarding concern the advocate will continue to support.
Client
Review
Action
Issue

13. How do we provide advocacy?
Review
When the action has taken place the advocate needs to inform the client of the outcome and decide how to proceed.
This brings us back to the client.
Client
Review
Action
Issue

14. Advocacy Services
Statutory Services ∙ IMCA ∙ IMHA ∙ Care Act ∙ NHS Complaints Non Statutory Services: ∙ Community development ∙ Community advocacy

15. IMCA
IMCAs support people who are un-befriended and lack capacity to make decisions around specific decisions
Care reviews
Safeguarding
Change of accommodation
Serious Medical Treatments
Deprivation of Liberty
IMCAs work within the guidance of the Mental Capacity Act 2005

16. IMHA IMHA advocates work with individuals;
Detained under the Mental Health Act (even if you are currently on leave of absence from hospital)
A conditionally discharged restricted patient
Subject to Guardianship under the Act or
Are receiving Supervised Community Treatment (SCT).
Being considered for a treatment to which section 57 applies
Under 18 and being considered for electro-convulsive therapy or any other treatment to which section 58A applies
IMHAs work within the Mental Health Act 1983 – Amended in 2007

17. Care Act 2014 Care Act Advocates support individuals to;
Complete a needs assessment
Complete a carer’s assessment
Support them with a review of their care and support plan
Support individuals with safeguarding enquiry, or arranging for a Safeguarding Adults Review

18. Community Advocacy/CDW
Support for people who are vulnerable, isolated and in need of support to get their voice heard. We also provide information and guidance if they experience substantial difficulties with the issues they are facing.

19. NHS Complaints Advocacy
Support when someone would like to make a formal NHS complaint about any NHS funded service.
Advocate can:
Support with the complaint letter
Attended and support at complaints meetings

20. How do we provide advocacy?
Managing Boundaries
NOT behaving like a support worker
NOT behaving like a friend
NOT colluding with third parties
If an advocate identifies extra support needs they should discuss this with the client and offer signposting where appropriate.

21. How do we provide advocacy?
Boundaries
By keeping to the remit of the service advocates are able to keep professional boundaries in place.
∙ Advocates are Issue specific
∙ We have a 48 hour call back policy
∙ We do not give people lifts in our cars
∙ We are supporting in a professional manner
∙ We are not legal Advocates
∙ We do not fill in benefit forms/housing forms

22. Referrals Referrals can be made in a number of ways:
Phone
Minicom –
Text ‘pohwer’ and your name to 81025 –
Skype – pohwer.advocacy
Fax –
Post - POhWER, PO BOX 14043, Birmingham, B6 9BL

23. Thank you for your time!
Any questions?