Complaints - Do you need support (Advocacy)

Advocacy is a partnership between two people, an advocate and a person who has experienced any form of discrimination. The advocate's task is to represent, where necessary, their partner's views and interests as if they were their own. Advocates offer support and understanding, sometimes enabling their partners to speak for themselves. Advocates also gather information, allowing their partner to make informed choices.

All people share basic needs:

• to be independent
• to be treated with dignity and respect
• to be able to exercise basic human rights
• to be accepted by the community in which we all live
• to be able to choose how to lead individual lives and lifestyles

Advocacy is one way in which you can be supported and encouraged to strive for your basic rights and needs. You may feel that you are disadvantaged, vulnerable, or that your feel you have been treated 'differently' by other people. This could mean that your choices and opportunites are restricted.

An advocate may be able to help you to overcome these difficulties.

An advocate enters into a partnership with you. Your 'partner' would be introduced to you via the advocacy co-ordinator, who makes every effort to 'match' suitable partners, for example some people would prefer a partner of similar age to themselves or maybe an advocate has a particular skill or interest in a specific area. Relationships will vary, according to your needs - some will be short term, to help you through a crisis situation - some will be longer term commitment. Advocates can help you in many ways:

• assisting you to have a say in your life. Accompanying you at meetings, reviews, appointments, etc.
• supporting - spending time developing a relationship within which you feel equal, valued and secure.
• ensuring that you receive everything to which you are entitled.

Advocacy services are currently available from:

• Solihull Action Through Advocacy Service -
  Telephone 0121 603 5576
  Email: office@solihulladvocacy.org.uk
• Citizens Advocacy Service (learning disabilities) -
  Telephone 0121 779 5860
• The RNIB Education Centre, Midlands and RNIB Advocacy Service for Parents
  Telephone: 01905 357 635
• The NSPCC for any young person who wishes to make a complaint about Education Children and Young People services.
• MIND (Mental Health) -
  Telephone 0121 742 4941
  Email: contact@solihullmind.org.uk

How to make a complaint about an advocate

Each advocacy service should have its own procedure for complaints. Contact the agency and ask for details on how to make a complaint

Advice and support for consumers in Solihull is now provided by Consumer Direct.
Consumer Direct is a telephone and online consumer advice service, which is supported by local authorities in The West Midlands and by Government.

Consumer Direct works in partnership with Local Authority Trading Standards Advice Services offering first level advice and information on a wide range of consumer issues. More complex problems, or complaints requiring further investigation or assistance are referred to Trading Standards or other advice services

To speak to a Consumer Direct adviser, please call 08454 04 05 06. Opening hours are 8.00 a.m. and 6.30p.m. Monday - Friday or 9.00a.m. to 1p.m. on Saturdays. (Minicom users should call on 08451 28 13 84). To e-mail Consumer Direct, please Contact us via the Consumer Direct website.

A wide range of consumer information and advice is also available online from the Consumer Direct website at http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/