Independent advocacy

It is important you are fully involved in your assessment and support planning. If you have difficulty in being involved we will consider how best to support you. This may involve providing information in a different format, ensuring a trained worker visits you in your home, or inviting a translator to help during your assessment.

If you wish a friend or family member can help and represent you at any time. Where you don't have anyone you can ask, and you have a lot of difficulty in being involved yourself we may ask an independent advocate to support you.

We will consider if you have difficulty in the following areas:

• Telling us about your views, wishes or feelings
• Understanding the information we provide
• Remembering information
• Weighing up information to help compare options or make decisions

If you need an independent advocate and agree to this, an organisation called POhWER will be asked to support you.

An independent advocate from POhWER will help you to:

• Understand the processes you will need to go through to receive care and support
• Communicate your views, wishes and feelings
• Understand how your needs can be met
• Make a decision about your care and support arrangements
• Understand decisions made by Adult Social Services
• Challenge a decision made by Adult Social Services if you have concerns

Independent advocates may also support safeguarding enquiries where there are concerns that someone has been subject to or is at risk of abuse or neglect.

POWhER has advocates who are specially training to support people through the Council's care and support processes.

You can also pick your own independent advocate. For example, some organisations can provide services that are specific to your needs. You might need to pay for their services.