Care Act Advocacy

Care Act Advocacy supports people who have substantial difficulty understanding, retaining, using or weighing information, or communicating their views during a social care process, and who do not have an appropriate family member or friend to support their involvement.

Advocacy may be available during a needs assessment, care planning, review, carer’s assessment, or safeguarding process, helping people to understand the process, express their wishes, and be involved in decisions about their care and support.

Referrals are made by local authority social care professionals when they identify that a person has substantial difficulty being involved in the process and has no appropriate person to support them.

Ensuring your voice is heard when it matters most.

Havering Community and Statutory Advocacy Service provides free, independent and confidential advocacy. We support people to understand their rights, express their views, and be involved in decisions that affect their lives. Our advocates work alongside individuals to ensure their voice is heard and respected.

Where a person lacks capacity and is entitled to both services, this may be carried out by an IMCA using a non-instructed advocacy approach, gathering information from records and people who know the person well to help represent their wishes and feelings.

What a Care Act Advocate will do:

• Support people who have substantial difficulty being involved in social care processes and have no appropriate person to support them.
• Help individuals understand information, their rights, and the decisions being made about their care and support.
• Enable people to express their views, wishes, feelings, and preferences.
• Support involvement in Care Act processes, including needs assessments, care and support planning, reviews, carer’s assessments, and safeguarding enquiries.
• Ensure the person’s voice is heard, and their views are considered when decisions are being made.