Advocacy

Independent Advocacy

We have an Advocacy Quality Performance Mark (QPM) but are currently not contracted to deliver it at any of our centres.  However, we are happy to discuss this with funding bodies.  

What is Advocacy? 

Advocacy can support you to speak out, or speak out on your behalf, to ensure your views are heard and represented. 
deafPLUS’ confidential non statutory advocacy service works with individuals to: 

• Speak up for themselves 
• Understand their rights 
• Make informed decisions 
• Understand the consequences of their actions 
• Know the right questions to ask 
• Make a complaint 
• Feel confident and have greater control of their lives 
• Access information and services 
• Providing advocacy support at meetings with other agencies  

Why might I need Advocacy? 

As a deaf or hard of hearing person, it can be difficult to deal with issues that would usually be easy for hearing people. For example, it can feel difficult and sometimes, intimidating, meeting with doctors, social workers, housing officers, solicitors or other service providers. 

What can an Advocacy Worker do? 

• Help you to be at the centre of your care and treatment. 
• Support and help you to put your views across at meetings with other professionals. 
• Get you the information you need in a way you can understand. This will ensure you are fully informed, understand your rights and are aware of your options/choices. 
• Put you in touch with other organisations and sources of support & advice.  

What will an Advocacy Worker do? 

• Contact you, as soon as they can, by email or text message. 
• Talk to you to see if they can help you and, if so, arrange to meet you. 
• Talk to you in person to get a full picture of the issues you have. 
• Agree with you how Advocacy Service can help and what to expect from us. 
• Ensure you know how to tell us your views about the service we’ve given you. 

Care Act Advocacy

What is Care Act Advocacy?

The Care Act says that local councils must involve people in decisions about their care and support needs.  If it would be difficult for someone to be involved without support the council must make sure they get the help they need. If the person doesn’t have someone who can help them they have the right to have an independent Care Act advocate.

Who can be supported by a Care Act advocate?

Care Act advocates can support:

• Adults who need care and support
• Carers
• Children who are moving to adult care services

If the council is making decisions about your care and support they must consider whether you would have ‘substantial difficulty’ being involved. Substantial difficulty would be if you have problems with one or more of these:

• Understanding information about the decisions
• Remembering information
• Using the information to be involved in the decisions
• Being able to tell people your views, wishes and feeling

The council then needs to consider whether you have an ‘appropriate individual’ to support you. This is someone who the council agree will be available and able to support you. It can be someone in your family or a friend but won’t be someone you don’t want to support you. It can’t be someone who is paid to look after you.

If the council decide that you would have substantial difficulty being involved and do not have an appropriate individual to support you, then you have the right to a Care Act advocate.

How can a Care Act advocate help me?

An advocate will support you to be involved as much as possible in decisions about your care. Your advocates can help you when the council is:

• Making a needs assessment
• Making a carer’s assessment
• Making or reviewing a care and support plan
• Having a safeguarding enquiry (to check if you might be being abused) or arranging for a Safeguarding Adults Review

Your advocate will work with you to help you understand what is happening and to give your views; they can speak for you if you can’t. Your advocate can help you to think about your choices and what is best for you. If you want to challenge the council’s decision your advocate can help you do this too.