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The action of an advocate, or the services provided by one or more advocates on behalf of another person. It involves taking action to help people to say what they want, securing their rights, representing their interests and obtaining the services they need. Advocacy is most effective when carried out by a person who is independent of the services being provided.
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Advocate can be used in a general sense, as one who speaks on behalf of another, or it can have special meanings derived from the Mental Health Act 1983 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005. There are formal and informal advocates and these can be:
- Individuals acting informally:
-- Carers
-- Relatives
-- Partners
-- Neighbours or friends
-- Staff.
- Those prescribed by legislation, such as Independent Mental Health Advocates and Independent Mental Capacity Advocates.
- Those provided by schemes run by local authorities, the NHS and charities.
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In general, advocacy for people who have experienced domestic violence includes: - legal, housing and financial advice - access to and use of community resources such as refuges, emergency housing and psychological interventions - safety planning advice. The activities may differ according to the level of risk facing the person. Crisis advocacy involves working with the person for a limited period of time (they may then be referred on to more specialised agencies). Practitioners providing advocacy can also provide ongoing support and informal counselling. The intensity of the advocacy provided may vary. It may last for a year - or longer, if the person is particularly vulnerable.
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A person who supports someone who may otherwise find it difficult to communicate or to express their point of view. Advocates can support people to make choices, ask questions and to say what they think.
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Help to enable you to get the care and support you need that is independent of your local council. An advocate can help you express your needs and wishes, and weigh up and take decisions about the options available to you. They can help you find services, make sure correct procedures are followed and challenge decisions made by councils or other organisations. The advocate is there to represent your interests, which they can do by supporting you to speak, or by speaking on your behalf. They do not speak for the council or any other organisation. If you wish to speak up for yourself to make your needs and wishes heard, this is known as self-advocacy.
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