Community advocacy services in East Sussex
Advocacy is confidential, free to access and helps people navigate health and social care. Advocates are impartial and they do not work for the NHS, the council or providers of care.
This article is specifically about community advocacy services in East Sussex.
We have another guide about other types of independent advocacy that can be found here.
What is a community advocate?
Community advocacy refers to advocacy that's not a legal entitlement.
Community advocates support people with a wide range of issues, focusing on building confidence and empowerment. They provide help to existing users of adult social care services when they may benefit from support or representation in relation to their needs.
Community advocates help with issues not covered by statutory advocacy types such as:
- Independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service (IHCAS)
- Independent Care Act Advocacy (ICAA)
- Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA)
- Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA) and children and young people’s advocacy.
What can a community advocate help with?
Independent community advocates may be able to help with a broad variety of matters related to Adult Social Care, which are services designed to support adults of all ages, disabilities, and backgrounds in maintaining their independence, health, and safety.
This may include, but is not limited to:
- Challenging the decisions of Adult Social Care services, including personal budgets, client contributions and placement decisions.
- Supporting a request or attending assessment and review processes for care and financial assessments for care.
- To make a complaint about Adult Social Care.
- For support around direct payment issues.
- If you need support through a safeguarding or best interest process.
- If you need to raise a safeguarding concern.
- Support around the financial appeal process.
- If you require advocacy support with Occupational Therapy issues.
- Complaints to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
Who can access community advocacy?
This service is available to residents of East Sussex who are funded (this means that the care services you need are paid for by the local authority) by East Sussex County Council and are:
- Aged 65 or over
- Between 18 and 65 with physical disabilities
- Between 18 and 65 with sensory impairments
- Over 18 with a learning disability
- Over the age of 18 with mental health issues
- A Carer of someone eligible under the above categories
How can I access community advocacy?
You can self-refer or ask a professional to refer you.
South West Advocacy Network (SWAN) provide community advocacy Services in East Sussex. You can contact them or self-refer via:
Email: reception@swanadvocacy.org.uk
Telephone: 03333 447928
Website: https://swanadvocacy.org.uk/services-near-you/east-sussex/
Community advocates do not provide:
- Benefits-related support – Including council tax, utility bills, rent.
- Housing support – Except for Adult Social Care-funded supported accommodation.
- Legal services
- Befriending services
- Support related to parents involved with Children’s Services
- Mediation between family members
- General support work – Such as taking individuals to meetings or shopping trips.
- NHS complaints advocacy – This service is provided by The Advocacy People.
- Advocacy for carers acting on behalf of others – Community advocates do not support parents advocating for adult children, nor children advocating for elderly parents.
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If you would like help to navigate health and care services, or you wish to share your experiences of health or social care with us, you can contact our Information and Signposting service on:
Telephone: 0333 101 4007
