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Family Advocacy

Our advocates in Cambridgeshire offer a free, confidential and independent support service to parents who have a learning disability or a mental health illness.

Research has shown that a disproportionately high number of parents with learning difficulties have their children removed for adoption. This is deeply distressing for both parents and children and something the law sees as a last resort. In many such cases, removals could have been avoided if the parent had had access to the right level of support.

Advocacy support is central to creating a positive experience of parenting for people with learning difficulties, and VoiceAbility currently provides such services in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Our OnetoOne advocacy support, crisis advocacy and signposting to the appropriate sources of support and information ensure that parents have their voices heard and know their rights.

We're delighted to announce that we have also launched a new phone line, dedicated to providing parents with learning difficulties and/or mental health illness with direct advocacy support.

The new telephone line is open to parents in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough no matter how small or how complex their query is. Our experienced advocates can provide information to parents about their rights, local services and support groups in the area. They can also provide parents with the range of options open to them, and problem solving techniques to enable them to take control of their situation. If parents require further advocacy support, they can then make a self referral to the Speaking Up for Families service over the phone.

“Speaking Up for Families has been great for me. I felt very supported when my advocate came to meetings about my children with me”.
- Sharon Nisbet, mum of three and user of the service

We'd also like to encourage professionals and services involved with families to use the telephone service to discuss queries and issues, and to refer parents to our advocacy service.

“We are providing much needed support to parents with learning difficulties who can come to us for information on parenting, accessing parenting networks or for help at meetings concerning their children, leading to a fuller understanding of their rights”
- Rachel Mason, Advocate for Speaking Up for Families

The Family advocacy line will be open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 10am-12pm. The number to call is 01223 555888 - so if you have any queries please give us a call and have a chat with our Family Advocates.