Advocacy - Education and Families

What is advocacy?

You may find it difficult sometimes to get the help and advice you need, or to make sure that you are being listened to about what you want and need. If this is the case you might find it useful to use an advocate.

An advocate is someone independent – someone who is not already involved with any care or services you may be getting – who can give you unbiased and impartial support and information.

What can an advocate do?

An advocate can help:

to make sure that your wishes and views are listened to and considered
to defend and promote your rights
find information and help you access services
explore any different options that may be available
you tell people if you are unhappy with a service you’ve had

Although an advocate can provide support and talk through your options with you, they can’t make decisions or solve problems for you, or give you their opinion.

Having an advocate can be helpful if you have to do something where you may struggle to say what you want, or to be understood. This could be something like having a care needs assessment carried out or reviewing a current care and support plan.

If you are happy for them to, an advocate can support you at interviews and meetings, can write letters for you, and can speak for you if you don’t feel able to speak for yourself.

Where can I find an advocate?

Devon Information Advice and Support (DiAS)

The Devon Information Advice and Support (DiAS) service provides information and advice for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), as well as their parents and carers. Their service is impartial and confidential.

If you need support to get your views across in reviews or meetings a DiAS Children and Young Person’s Worker may be able to help.

Devon Advocacy Consortium

The main advocacy service for adults in Devon and Torbay is the Devon Advocacy Consortium (DAC). They support people over the age of 16.

DAC is made up of six different organisations, and is led by Living Options Devon.

The partners in the consortium are:

Self-advocacy

You may feel that you can speak up for yourself about any support or services you want and need – this is known as self-advocacy.