What was the person’s situation before working with Advocacy Focus?
Max is a 19 year old male who is a care leaver, living out of area. Max has additional needs and struggles to retain information. He has been homeless and needed an advocate for support around housing and his rights as a care leaver.
What did the Independent Advocate do to help the person?
The advocate built a trusting relationship with Max enabling him to share his past experiences and what he finds hard. He recognised that he was unable to retain information and keep up with the decisions that had been made for him. The advocate with permission spoke to professionals involved and asked if all their updates could be shared vie email in one chain, so that Max could follow and review at any time.
When Max became homeless the advocate ensured that the relevant professionals were informed, and Max felt safe and secure until a place was found for him. The advocate ensured information was passed correctly between Max and his social worker. Max was told that he could have a free gym pass, but because he was living outside of Salford, the Council were reluctant to give it to him. After a few telephone conversations Max has now got a free gym pass for local gyms.
What was the outcome?
Max understands and can see all information in relation to his life. He is gaining confidence when speaking to professionals and has attended some organisations on his own. He now attends the gym for free, which benefits his mental wellbeing. The case is still ongoing, with Max still waiting for a permanent place to live. The advocate will continue to work with Max until he decides he no longer needs an advocate.
Why was advocacy support so effective?
Without an advocate Max would not know some of his care leavers rights. Information would not have been shared in a way that he understood, therefore, Max would still feel that he had not been listened to. Max knows that he is being supported by a trusted person. The relationship between Max and his social worker has improved as he feels that actions have been taken for things he has waited for.
*Names have been changed to protect the identity of the people we support
By Jason Cherry, Advocacy Co-Ordinator at Advocacy Focus
In March I had the amazing opportunity to join Sara Britcliffe, MP for Hyndburn, in Westminster. A very early start but well worth it.
I arrived in London and after visiting all the usual tourist attractions, I went to meet Sara and her team at Westminster. Here, I had a tour of Westminster Hall, The House of Commons, where I stood, where the PM stands and The Houses of Parliament. I even went into The Chapel of St Mary’s where Emily Davison hid (Google her…. girl power before the Spice Girls!). What a beautiful hidden church and on set days they hold services there.
Westminster Hall is steeped in history. The most recent is a plaque of where Queen Elizabeth II lay in state, not to mention plaques for where Nelson Mandella and Winston Churchill stood.
I was lucky enough to take part in a Question-and-Answer session held in one of the committee rooms off Westminster Hall, I even saw Jeremy Corbyn!
I finished on The Terrace with Sara and her lovely team, where I took the opportunity to have a photo.
What a fantastic day and a fabulous experience.
Thank you to Sara and her team for an unforgettable trip.
Thank you to Advocacy Focus for believing in me and for being a very inclusive place to work.
Advocacy Focus is thrilled to announce that CUBE HR has picked us as their charity of the year for 2024.
CUBE HR is a leading provider of human resources solutions, offering a range of services designed to empower businesses to manage their workforce effectively. With a focus on innovation and excellence, CUBE HR partners with organisations to deliver tailored HR solutions that drive success.
“We are delighted to partner with Advocacy Focus as our charity of the year,” said Stuart Wright, HR Consultant at CUBE HR. “As a small business, we think it is important to give something back to our community, so we choose a local ‘charity of the year’ each year. We love the work that Advocacy Focus does and want to help in some way, to make sure this work continues.”
To kickstart the partnership, CUBE HR has launched a fundraiser to take place on Monday 3rd June 2024 in which employees from both CUBE HR and Advocacy Focus will be taking on the Yorkshire Three Peaks. This walk is not just a physical challenge, but a real chance to make a difference in the lives of those who need it most.
Donations to this fundraiser can be made through the JustGiving page. All funds will go towards ensuring Advocacy Focus can continue to provide advocacy services to people within the community. Every donation counts, no matter how big or small.
“We are so grateful to CUBE HR for choosing us as their charity of the year,” said Justine Forster, CEO at Advocacy Focus. “This fundraiser will make such a difference to the lives of people we support and help us to continue our vital community advocacy work. Every donation we receive will go straight into our services and will support people that need our help when it comes to their health and social care needs.”
CUBE HR has invited people and businesses alike to join them in supporting Advocacy Focus by taking part in their fundraising efforts throughout 2024. Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who need it most.
Are you a business looking to work with a local charity?
We would be happy to talk to you about Advocacy Focus becoming your nominated charity, either via a ‘one-off’ fundraising campaign or, like CUBE HR, as your ‘Charity of the Year.’
Advocacy Focus would be keen to meet you and to talk more about how we can work in partnership to extend the reach of our advocacy support, so that no one falls through the gaps because of overstretched services.
We can develop a tailored corporate and social responsibility support package in return for your help, which will benefit your team and business, whilst supporting the local community.
“So today is about finding solutions so that people can access the care and support they need.”
– Justine Forster, CEO at Advocacy Focus
Thursday 21st March 2024 saw the return of our long-awaited Breaking Barriers conference. With over 100 attendees, the day featured ground-breaking talks and workshops from leading sector experts and professionals from health and social care and beyond.
Our Breaking Barriers conferences are dedicated to raising awareness and understanding of the importance of advocacy and the impact it has on our communities.
Sharing knowledge and experiences through events such as this is key to breaking down the barriers that stop people from receiving the right care and treatment.
Hosted by Jake Mills, CEO of Chasing the Stigma, the day featured the following speakers and topics:
Our headline speakers:
Neil Allen from 39 Essex Chambers discussed ‘Making the best use of Deprivations of Liberty Safeguards’.
Laura Ingham from Armed Forces HQ raised awareness on ‘Advocating for the armed forces community’.
Darren from Mission Impossible, Trafford Self-Advocacy Group talked about ‘The Importance of Self-Advocacy.’
Justine Forster and Leanne Hignett from Advocacy Focus discussed ‘The Six Ps’ and the importance of self-advocacy and prevention.
Ellie Bradley from Advocacy Focus shared ‘Reflections a year on: Advocacy for Autistic People in Mental Health Inpatient Settings’
Our workshops:
Philippa Curran from Odonnells – ‘Welfare Matters’
Sophie Maloney from Stephensons Solicitors (our headline sponsor) – ‘Capacity, social media and the internet’
Malcolm Johnson from Lime Solicitors – ‘The Rights of Looked after Unaccompanied Asylum Seeker Children’
Demi Houghton from Advocacy Focus – ‘Challenging Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards’
Kate Mercer from Kate Mercer Training – ‘You can’t do mountaineering in your lunch break; what it takes to deliver awesome advocacy’
Helen Barker and Faye Doherty from Irwin Mitchell – ‘Capacity to sexual relations’
Barriers Broken
The core mission of Breaking Barriers has always been to ignite lasting change well beyond the event’s conclusion.
Reviewing the feedback we have received from attendees, we have done just that.
Keeping up to date with legislation, championing fairness, and amplifying the voices of those who often go unheard are vital steps in realising our vision. And how barriers are easier to break when we work together.
Our Breaking Barriers events serve as a timely reminder of this.
“We need to give people straightforward access to advocacy and wider services. If we can’t help people, we will partner with someone who can.”
– Justine Forster, CEO at Advocacy Focus
*Images courtesy of Liz Henson Photography.
Give a #cuppakindness and support our Community Cuppa campaign.
We are currently running a fundraiser for our Community Focus Hub in Burnley to provide a warm space where people can visit our team and volunteers, grab a free cuppa, information, and advice, and most importantly stay awhile in a safe space free from judgement.
We have a recommended donation of £5, but any amount would be appreciated. Please help us by sharing this with your networks if you can.
Breaking Barriers is back after a highly successful conference in 2021; attended by over 100 health and social care professionals across the North West. The feedback was just as positive with 100% of delegates stating they walked away having learned something new.
Breaking Barriers aims to bridge the gaps between services and provide better outcomes for the people we support. It is one day dedicated to raising awareness and understanding of the importance of advocacy and the impact it has on our communities.
With ground-breaking talks and workshops from leading industry professionals, key speakers and more; we bring you the latest trends, case law, legislation changes affecting the health and social care industry and much more.
Confirmed host!
Jake Mills, CEO of Chasing the Stigma, will be returning to host our third Breaking Barriers Conference. An expert in mental health and wellbeing, and Advocacy Focus’ Patron, Jake is a true advocate of our mission to make advocacy accessible to all.
Headline speaker – Francesca Gardner from 39 Essex Chambers – ‘What now the Mental Health Act reform is ditched?’
Headline speaker – Neil Allen from 39 Essex Chambers – ‘Making the best use of Deprivations of Liberty Safeguards’
Headline speaker – Darren from Mission Impossible, Trafford Self-Advocacy Group – ‘The Importance of Self-Advocacy’
Workshop speaker – Philippa Curran from odonnells – ‘Welfare Matters”
Workshop speaker – Sophie Maloney from Stephensons Solicitors – ‘Internet, social media, and mental capacity’
Workshop speaker – Malcolm Johnson from Lime Solicitors – ‘Looked after Unaccompanied Asylum Seekers’
Comments Off on Poor mental health costs UK employers up to £45 billion each year
The ongoing cost of living crisis has caused huge financial pressures for many people and is currently one of the leading causes of stress in the UK. With a 23% increase being noted from 2022. A recent survey found that people are feeling anxious, stressed, and hopeless due to their current financial situation. The same survey found that financial concerns were impacting on people’s day-to-day activities, with 30% of adults having a poorer quality of sleep, 23% meeting friends less often, and 12% exercising less.
But poor mental health doesn’t just carry a huge personal cost. Recent research shows that poor mental health costs UK employers up to £45 billion each year – and this figure is growing year on year.
There is however good news! If businesses invest in supporting their people’s mental health, they will not only see a gain in productivity, fewer sickness absences and lower staff turnover, work can provide a sense of purpose, structure and create meaningful connections. All of which is health-promoting for the employee.
And while many organisations currently invest in some level of mental health support, recent data reveals a lack of employee engagement and take-up. So why aren’t people engaging with support that is set up to help them?
There are many reasons, but the main one is the stigma, that still exists in many workplaces. People may fear that they will be treated differently, that they won’t be considered for promotion, or that they risk losing their jobs if they tell someone they are struggling. That is why it is crucial that workplaces develop a positive culture around mental health and wellbeing. Support has to be widely available, in an easy, stigma-free way. And that is where Advocacy Focus can help you!
Our charity has worked in the health and social care sector for over 25 years. Supporting people who are living through some of the most challenging times of their life. In our own workplace, we don’t just talk the talk, we have delivered impactful wellbeing initiatives for over 10 years! More recently our work was recognised nationally when we were awarded ‘Top Employer’ in the charity Mind’s Workplace Wellbeing Index – for two years in a row. Not bad for a small charity in the North of England!
It’s our proudest achievement, because it’s an award that celebrates all we have done and continue to do for our people. We invest in them first and foremost, because they are our most valuable resource and we couldn’t deliver our services across the North-West without them. So if like us you recognise that without your team your business would crumble, it is time to act!
Don’t be another UK business losing thousands of pounds, or good people, to poor mental health. Our training and consultancy services can help you:
We would like to shine a spotlight on one of our amazing volunteer Independent Visitors, Micaela, who has ten years sports coaching experience in schools and recently qualified to be a psychologist.
Micaela told us, “I have seen how important it is for young people to have someone to reach out to and have that 1-1 nurturing support as when they don’t, you can see how much it affects them”. I wanted to make a difference for those that needed this and this is my way of giving back”.
During Micaela’s time with us, she has made a huge contribution. When Micaela first met her young person, she was full of apprehension, wondering whether the match with her young person would be a success. Both Michaela and her young person soon connected and became relaxed, it soon became apparent that her young person is very keen about sports; loving watching football and longing to play. Micaela is the perfect match and they hit it off!
Since becoming an Independent Visitor, Micaela has been creative in finding activities suitable for her young person and helping explore things that her young person had not tried before.
The search for a local football club is underway and Michaela regularly takes her young person to Liverpool ladies football matches, which her young person says is “magical” as she had never been to one. Michaela’s young person said “I absolutely loved it” and her foster family tell us that “she had not stopped talking about it for days”.
And it doesn’t stop there … Micaela has been supporting her young person to experience new and exciting activities, including Ninja Warrior, going bowling and to the cinema. The foster family have also fed back that the young person is really excited about Micaela’s visits and asks repeatedly “when is Micaela is coming?”
Stephen is 7 years old and has ASD& ADHD. He was placed with a foster family after a very difficult childhood and was soon thriving. The entire foster family thought of him as “their own” and he was settled for the first time in his life.
However, a year later the decision was taken by the local authority to move Stephen and place him with another foster family, due to how close he was living to his birth family and the risk this posed. The impact for everyone was potentially devastating.
Our Advocate worked with Stephen, fiercely championed his rights and highlighted the impact of such a move to the local authority. After a very lengthy and emotionally charged process – which involved gaining the support of the Children’s Commissioner for England – the local authority apologised for their actions and agreed that Stephen would not be moved. They then agreed to support the foster family with a house relocation to reduce any future risks and to keep Stephen and his new family together.
Stephen continues to thrive and is happy and settled thanks to the support of his tenacious Advocate.
To make a donation to help others like Stephen, please donate via our just giving page here
Our awesome Independent Advocate, Pauline, has won the award for Outstanding Advocate at this year’s National Advocacy Awards.
Below is the nomination for the award (written by Leanne Hignett, our Services Director) which gives you an insight into the support that was given by Pauline to Milly.
I am thrilled to nominate Pauline for this award in recognition of her unwavering dedication, fearless passion, and steadfast commitment to advocacy since 2007. If I had to pick one (of many) scenarios in which to highlight Pauline’s ability to overcome adversity to make a real difference to another person’s life, it would be in the case of Milly.
Pauline supported Milly on an advocacy journey like no other, beginning as her community advocate over 10 years ago before going on to support with a range of statutory advocacy approaches, many of which Pauline delivered simultaneously.
It was strongly suspected that Milly had high functioning autism and, having spent most of her life in the care of her mother, her passing meant that Milly sadly found herself living alone in the decommissioned council flat they had once shared. Milly desperately wanted support and was articulate when contacting other agencies however, her diagnosis of agoraphobia meant she would not leave her home and would rarely let others in. This led health and social care services to dismiss Milly’s calls for help, as they simply felt she was choosing not to engage.
Pauline saw beyond this, recognising that Milly’s conditions were likely having an impact on her executive functioning. Milly began sharing with Pauline and her GP that she was experiencing heavy bleeding and pain. Pauline recognised that the way other professionals were dismissing Milly meant that she was going a prolonged amount of time without investigation or treatment. Pauline tenaciously battled with other agencies to urge them to adapt their standard ways of working to ensure Milly’s situation was escalated. Pauline also shared Milly’s communication needs, using this to promote the increased engagement professionals could have with Milly if they altered their approach. Pauline’s tenacity eventually resulted in Milly’s admission to hospital and, following a series of tests, Milly was sadly diagnosed with cervical cancer.
Milly’s expressed wishes were conflicting with her views and hopes for the future. Despite stating she did not want to die, Milly refused to consider any treatment for her cancer. Pauline pressed for a specialist to assess Milly’s capacity, someone who would consider her complex communication style. Pauline managed to do this by advocating the views Milly had shared herself, relaying a statement Milly made that,
“My brain doesn’t always work – it’s like I am working with only half a brain. I misunderstand things. I get things wrong, and I need someone to help me make the right decisions.”
As a result, a specialist assessment was commissioned and Milly was found to lack capacity regarding the decision to have treatment for her cancer. Unfortunately, the time that had elapsed meant that there was no longer an option to pursue treatment. Pauline began supporting Milly to advocate for where she wanted to spend her final weeks and eventually Milly moved to a hospice by the seaside she had always loved to visit as a child. The hospice were immensely grateful for the support Pauline provided during the transition, as this enabled them to provide greater person-centred care to Milly in her final weeks.”
“Pauline provided amazing support for one of our patients who was admitted for end-of-life care. From the very moment the patient was admitted Pauline was actively seeking out ways to work with us and support the patient. Pauline had known the patient for many years, and we found it invaluable that she knew how to best communicate with her and what her preferences were. The patient told us how much Pauline had done for her, how much she trusted her and wanted her to be fully involved in supporting her with her decisions and wishes. Pauline’s involvement helped the team here to fulfil some of the patients end of life wishes which was so important, she provided a great deal of emotional and psychological support, and even after the patient died, Pauline was advocating for her wishes to be upheld. Pauline was pivotal to the care this patient received and her experiences at the end of her life, she was amazing.”
Unfortunately, where a local authority arranges a public funeral, it does so at minimal expense. This meant that despite Milly’s dying wish to be buried in her hometown, a decision was made for a non-attendance cremation with no service. This was unacceptable to Pauline, who took it upon herself to advocate for Milly’s wishes after her passing. Pauline tenaciously challenged the council’s decision, going as far as to make a FOI request to enquire under what circumstances the council utilised its power to make discretionary decisions about public funerals. Pauline’s challenge did not go unnoticed, and Milly received a beautiful service and burial, which her advocate and other professionals devotedly attended.
Following her death, Milly’s story was heard by the national safeguarding group of NHS England. Both Pauline and the remainder of the MDT were nominated and subsequently won an NHS Safeguarding Star Award. However, knowing Milly’s views on the matter and not wanting to jeopardise her independence, Pauline decided to decline the award. Though I have no doubt she deserved the recognition.”
Some of the additional feedback given for Pauline and her support of Milly …
Here at Advocacy Focus we are so proud to have had 3 of our advocates be chosen as winners over the years for this highly regarded award.
