Can anyone get help from advocacy services?
No. There are circumstances in which you have a legal right to advocacy support. These include being detained under the Mental Health Act, if you ‘lack capacity’ to make certain decisions, or if you have care needs but would find it difficult to be involved in required processes. You can find out more about these circumstances on this website. Where advocacy is not a legal right, you could still be eligible for community advocacy support.
If…
You need help to understand information, and find it difficult to tell others what you think, want and feel, we might be able to help you. This might be because you: are deaf or hard of hearing; are blind or visually impaired; have a physical disability; have long-term health conditions; have a learning difficulty; have mental health needs; have conditions on the autistic spectrum; or, are an older person. If this is true for you, contact us to see if we can help you.
If…
You want to know more about the kind of advocacy services we provide, find out more about what we do at the link below. Our advocates support people so they have a say when it comes to important decisions about their treatment and care, as well as arrangements that could impact on their independence and quality of life.
If...
You aren’t assigned advocacy support automatically under the Care Act, Mental Health Act or Mental Capacity Act, community advocacy might be an option if you’re facing difficult decisions that could impact on your quality of life or have long-term implications. Community advocacy supports people who would find it difficult to advocate for themselves and don’t have a family member or friend to consult.
Self-help resources
Would you like some help to speak up for yourself and ask for the things that are important to you, or help someone you know with this?
Self-help resources
Get support for yourself, a family member or someone you care for.
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