Somerset

Changing Lives in Somerset

Since 2015 we have provided a full range of statutory and generic advocacy services to adults living in Somerset.  For more information please select from the following advocacy types:

To download a referral form for advocacy in Somerset, please click here.

Join Us

We have some exciting volunteering opportunities in Somerset.  Find out more here.

Click here to view information about our Somerset services in easy read

 

 

 

For more information on our Somerset services please select from the following advocacy types:

Victims of Crime Advocacy Service (VOCAS)

We launched VOCAS in Somerset on 1st April 2019.

Adult victims can access advocacy, alongside practical and emotional support to help them to cope and recover from their experience and to engage with the criminal justice system if they choose to do so.   This enhanced adult service will be available for

  • adult victims who have barriers or additional support requirements linked to:
  • adult victims who have been targeted because of their:

*Race *Religion *Sexuality *Gender Identity *Mental health issues *Learning difficulties *Physical disabilities *Problems associated with old age *Problems associated with social exclusion or isolation

Find out more by visiting our VOCAS page.

Care Act Advocacy

We provide statutory advocacy under The Care Act 2014 which supports people who:

– Experience substantial difficulty in being fully involved in assessment, care and support planning, review and safeguarding process.

– Have no one else appropriate to support and represent their wishes.

To find out more about Care Act advocacy click here.

Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA)

Our Somerset IMHA advocates are specialists who are trained and qualified to work within the Mental Health Act 1983. They are completely independent of any person or other service involved with the treatment or care of the person they are supporting.

To find out more about Independent Mental Health Advocacy click here.

Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA)

Our advocates are there to make sure vulnerable adults, who lack the ability to make important decisions and do not have family or friends to help them, have someone who can make sure their wishes and feelings are taken into account when people are making decisions on their behalf.

To find out more about Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy click here.

Independent Health Complaints Advocacy (IHCA)

Our advocates provide statutory, independent NHS complaints advocacy supporting people who want to make a formal complaint using the NHS Complaints Procedure. This can be about any aspect of NHS-funded healthcare and can include issues such as poor treatment or service.

To find out more about NHS Complaints advocacy click here.

If you have a complaint about the NHS in Somerset you can contact us for guidance and information.

Generic Advocacy

Our generic advocacy is changing in Somerset.

We are excited to offer a different generic advocacy approach, which we feel will be more empowering for our clients.
From March 1st 2024 we will only accept self-referrals for generic advocacy.

We will be working with clients who want to actively engage in developing their self-advocacy skills, using our advocacy toolkit.

If you want to know more about self-advocacy please contact us for more information.

Find out more about generic advocacy here.