In Scotland
Karen, thank you. I’m not often lost for words but your help, understanding, determination and wise support has, at times, left me speechless.
VoiceAbility has been working in Scotland since 2022, providing independent advocacy services. We’re committed to working in partnership with community groups, advocacy organisations and government.
Advocacy support services by region
Where our teams are based in Scotland
Benefits advocacy is located across Scotland. For details of our independent advocacy, unpaid carers advocacy and group advocacy services, please get in touch or find out more above.
Find out more about…
Our impact
We spoke to three of the 4000 people we’ve supported so far to access benefits from Social Security Scotland (the service is available to anyone who identifies as disabled as well as parents and carers).
They shared their stories with us..
Useful resources
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I just wanted to get involved in something…this looked like the perfect blend of charity community work and getting some skills for future jobs.
Volunteer in Scotland
Are you looking for more experience? Would you like to give back to your local community?
You could help with events, networking and awareness raising in your local community as a Service Team volunteer. If you have or want more experience directly supporting people, you could become a Support Session volunteer.
I can not thank you enough for your sterling and determined efforts to have this matter resolved and I am happy to have this matter now closed
Irene’s story
Irene had previously worked with VoiceAbility and had a positive experience, enabling her to reach out again and ask us for support.
“Initially she wanted support to put a care plan in place for her daughter. However, this changed throughout our work together.
“Irene was very worried about what would happen to her daughter after her own death.
“She has spent well over 50 years as a full-time carer for her daughter.
“Irene’s daughter was now in supported living, but Irene remained continually available to provide any support she needed, including advocating between social services. This meant Irene would receive distressed calls from her daughter in the early hours of the morning.”
After Karen had spent time chatting, Irene’s greatest fear soon became clear:
“When she was no longer able to advocate for her daughter, she was worried that she may be moved by social services, out of Edinburgh.”
“This fear had been praying on Irene’s mind, impacting her health and well-being. She was struggling to sleep and was often in tears when we talked, she had reached‘carer’s burnout’”
Social services held public guardianship for Irene’s daughter, and they had initially refused to provide any written assurance to Irene that her daughter would never be moved out of Edinburgh. Irene felt the only way to deal with this would be the lengthy and costly route of going through the courts to get back family guardianship.
The advocacy sessions went at a pace that Irene was comfortable with, enabling her to be open with what she needed to happen.
Karen liaised with social services to develop a collaborative working relationship. She highlighted the human aspect of Irene’s requests and discussed how her needs could be accommodated while working within policy limitations.