SOS Advocacy Hub
Supporting people in Southend-on-Sea
We support isolated / excluded / vulnerable adults, by empowering them to make informed choices, challenging barriers to access appropriate services and to ensure they are included in decisions about their health, care and wellbeing.
Types of Advocacy
There are lots of different types of advocacy. Click on the boxes below to find out more details of the types of advocacy available.
Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA)
You have been assessed as ‘lacking capacity’ to make specific decisions about yourself, particularly about your care, including care based accommodation.
Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA)
If you are being detained under the Mental Health Act, you are legally entitled to help and support from an Independent Mental Health Advocate.
Care and Support Advocacy (Care Act)
Do you need help to be involved in decisions about your care needs? An advocate can help you understand your choices and make your own decisions.
Community Advocacy
A community advocate is someone who offers advocacy that is not based on a legal right. Community advocacy can be done by a paid professional or a volunteer or ‘citizen advocate’.
Financial Advocacy
We provide support where it is believed there may be a safeguarding or financial abuse concern. We also provide support with the completion of a limited number of benefit application forms: Attendance Allowance, Blue Badge and Personal Independence Payment. For any benefit applications that do not fall within our remit, we will signpost you to the most suitable professional.
Who we support
We support people who face disadvantage or discrimination, including people who have mental health needs, learning disabilities, dementia, autistic spectrum disorders or physical disabilities.
How to contact us
To get support or make a referral, contact our team either online, in person or by phone.
NHS Complaints Advocacy
We provide guidance on how to make a complaint to the NHS and an advocate can assist in the process if you find it difficult to do so on your own.
Use the button below to download the NHS Complaints – self help pack
