Accessibility & Languages
Ideally, a person will be able to guide what they want by expressing their thoughts and views directly to their Advocacy Worker. However, for some people this is not possible. This can often be down to communication, health, or mental capacity issues. That said, simply by not being able to convey a view does not mean a person is without a view.
In non-instructed advocacy, it is important to establish what a person might want to express. To do this, the advocacy worker will consider other forms of communication such as writing things down, using Talking Mats or other communication aids. The worker will also speak with the key people in the person’s life. Observation of the person in different settings can be key to understanding what they need, want, or feel about their situation.
By using these different approaches and gathering information, the Advocacy Worker can begin to build a picture of what that person’s life has been like in the past and what it is like now. By speaking with family and friends, support workers and other professionals, it may give insight into what the person’s past and present wishes are.
The Advocacy Worker will then use this information to raise questions with decision makers about the person’s situation, which will hopefully lead to the best outcomes being reached for them. It is not for the worker to make recommendations or draw conclusions due to the independent nature of advocacy.
Non-instructed advocacy helps to safeguard the rights of people who otherwise may be at risk of having their rights infringed. An Advocacy Worker is always mindful of the rights of the person specific to their situation, such as the Human Rights Act, National Care Standards and UNCRC, and will remind other professionals of these as important life decisions are being considered.
Partners in Advocacy adhere to the Non-Instructed Advocacy Guidelines that are produced by the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance. Non-Instructed Advocacy Guidelines – Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance (siaa.org.uk)
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