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Our services in Essex

We provide the following services:

  • Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA)
    What’s this?

    Independent Mental Health Advocates (IMHAs) support people with issues relating to their care and treatment when they have been detained (sectioned) under the Mental Health Act. They also help people understand their rights under the Mental Health Act.

  • Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA)
    What’s this?

    Independent Mental Capacity Advocates (IMCAs) support people who lack capacity to make decisions about their long term accommodation or serious medical treatment and who do not have any friends or family appropriate to consult.

  • Relevant Person's Representative (RPR)
    What’s this?

    When a DoLS authorisation is in place and there is no suitable RPR, an advocate can take on the role of RPR.

  • NHS complaints advocacy
    What’s this?

    NHS complaints advocates support people to complain about the treatment or care that they or a friend or family member have received from an NHS service. This support is available at every stage of the complaints process. 

  • Care Act advocacy
    What’s this?

    Independent Care Act advocates support people to understand their rights under the Care Act and to be fully involved in decisions about any care and support they need. This includes local authority assessments, care reviews, care and support planning and safeguarding processes.

  • Statutory children's advocacy
    What’s this?

    Specialist advocacy for Looked After Children (including those living in secure children’s homes), Care Leavers, and children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities.

  • General advocacy in Essex
    What’s this?

    In Essex we offer General Advocacy, Peer and Citizen Advocacy. We can provide non-statutory support such as citizen advocacy to ensure that those individuals not eligible for statutory advocacy services can be supported to have their voices heard through the use of volunteers. Citizen advocates will be volunteers who aim to involve people in their local community by enabling them to have a voice and to make decisions about the things that affect their lives. Peer advocates will meet with individual on a one-to-one basis and provide support for those with a similar disability, experience or who have faced similar barriers. Sharing their learning and supporting individuals to develop their self-advocacy skills We will work alongside the Council to identify local offers of non-statutory advocacy support and where there may be gaps in provision.