What is Advocacy?

What is Independent Advocacy? What is an Advocate?

What is Independent Advocacy

Advocacy, statutory or non statutory seeks to ensure that people, particularly those who are most at risk in society, disabled people those with mental health issues or dementia are empowered to: Have their voice heard on issues that are important to them. Their rights safeguarded and defended. Have their views and wishes genuinely considered when decisions are being made about their lives. To be included in decision making in the best way for them.

Statutory Advocacy

Statutory advocacy is appropriate when a person is legally entitled to an advocate under legislation because of their circumstances. This might be because individuals are being treated under the Mental Health Act or because the individual has been assessed to lack mental capacity to make a specific decision and a best interests decision is being made under the Mental Capacity Act. These are the models of Statutory Advocacy Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (Mental Capacity Act 2005) Independent Mental Health Advocacy ( Mental Health Act) Independent Care Act Advocacy ( Care Act 2014) NHS Complaints Advocacy

Non-Statutory or Community Advocacy

Non statutory advocacy means there is no legal framework that governs the role unlike IMCA, IMHA or CAA but it is equally important. Non statutory advocacy supports individuals whose issues full outside of the advocacy commissioned under legislation. Non Statutory Advocacy can be delivered by a paid advocate or a volunteer. They will give you one-to-one support to speak up for yourself. Your advocate may be able to help you for longer than other advocates and may help you with more issues. Your advocate will be able to help you write letters, go to meetings with you and support you to complain about things you are not happy with.

Advocacy services

Quality Advocacy Services work in line with the Advocacy Charter 2018 (NDTi). The Advocacy Charter defines advocacy in this way:

‘Advocacy is taking action to support people to say what they want, secure thier rights, pursue thier interests and obtain the services they need. Advocacy providers and advocates work in partnership with the people they support and take thier side, promoting social inclusion, equality and social justice’.

Principles of the Advocacy Charter

Our case studies

Find out more about the positive impact our advocacy services have on the lives of people in the West Midlands.

View our case studies

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