About Advocacy
An advocate can help you tell people what you need and want. They can support you to make choices about the things that effect you, and help you take control of your life.
Advocacy services can help you:
- during meetings and appointments
- express what you think and what you want
- get information and services
- challenge a decision about you or make a complaint
- understand your options and rights
- write letters
Advocates don’t work for Adult Social Care or health services, and they won’t give their personal opinion. They're there to put across your wishes and decisions.
Where to get help
The Brighton & Hove Advocacy Partnership provide local advocacy. The partnership consists of:
- Mind – support for adults (including older people) with mental health issues
- Age UK – support for vulnerable older people, including those with sensory impairment
- Impetus - support for parents with learning disabilities who are involved in child protection proceedings or have been a victim of, or witness to a crime
- Possibility People - advocacy for adults with a physical and/or sensory impairment
- Speak Out - advocacy for adults with learning disabilities
You can contact these services directly for support.
How we can help
We want you to be involved when we make decisions about your care and support.
If you find it very difficult to tell us what you need and want, and you do not have a relative or friend who could help, we'll arrange for an independent advocate to support you.
Other advocacy services
If your first language isn't English, you can get Bilingual Advocacy from Sussex Interpreting Services. For more information send an email to ben@sussexinterpreting.org.uk or phone 01273 234 016.
If you lack capacity to make your own decisions, a mental capacity advocate could help, visit POhWER for more information.