Quality Care, Personalisation & Transparency through Advocacy

1. Quality Care, Personalisation & Transparency through Advocacy info@advocacywestmidlands.com www.advocacywestmidlands.com

2. Advocacy West Midlands • Supporting the most vulnerable in society to be heard and experience a fulfilled and balanced life. • We provide independent advocacy, advice, information and emotional support. And work in partnership with service providers to achieve the best outcomes for young people in care.

3. Independent and Residential Visitor and Advocacy service • An independent advocate is able to offer an impartial opinion about the happiness and standard of care provided to each young person • Provide emotional support around issues relating to any pre care experiences, including neglect or abuse • Ongoing case based support for individuals who may disclose abuse, or have committed a crime, offering specialist support throughout the criminal justice system • A platform for each young person to clearly express their own views and wishes • The ability to ensure that each young person is supported individually to make ‘informed choices’ in relation to any actions or decisions being made or needed to be made that directly affect them

4. An Independent Advocate will support a young person to: • Understand documents or processes that the individual may not be sure about • Explain what the individuals rights are in any particular situation • Speak on the individuals behalf in relation to their concerns issues or feelings • Offer support in meetings • Make complaints on an individuals behalf, or offer support with complaints • Help mediate between the individual and a third party • or advise on different ways of dealing with their issues/concerns

5. They will usually do this by; • Exploring issues of concern with each young person • This may involve helping the young person clarify their thoughts and feelings and agreeing how this concern may be best addressed • Taking action on behalf of the young person • This may include talking to a member of staff, contacting their social worker, supporting them in reviews to be heard and have their concerns appropriately addressed, or to make a formal complaint.

6. Personalisation and Quality Care • scie (Social Care Institute of Excellence) Personalisation briefing papers. Ata glance 17: Personalisation briefing: Implications for Residential Care Homes, published November 2009. • At a glance 12: Personalisation briefing: Implications for Advocacy Workers, published August 2009

7. To offer a person centred approach • Care home managers need to ensure that existing services respond to identified needs and look at opportunities to diversify in terms of the services offered • Ensure that staff ‘live and breathe’ a culture that actively promotes personalised services with maximum choice and control • Residents should have access to all the information and advice they need to make informed decisions (Implications for Residential Care Homes, November 2009, scie)

8. The children’s and Young Persons Bill 2007 • Outlined the government’s commitment to make independent visitors who befriend children available to all children in care who want one

9. Children’s Homes Regulations • Each child should have at least one person independent of the home and the child’s placing authority whom they can contact directly about personal problems or concerns at the home