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Independent Care Act Advocacy (ICAA)
You have a right to be actively involved in
- Identifying your care needs and
- Planning and reviewing your care & support
An advocate can help if you
- Find it difficult to be involved and
- Have no-one appropriate to support you
The Care Act creates a new legal framework for care and support, focussed on welfare and involving the individual, and enshrining advocacy in law.
What does a Care Act Advocate do?
An advocate will obtain information relevant to you and your situation, including
- Asking you your views, wishes and beliefs
- Reviewing relevant health and care records, with your permission
- Consulting anyone else who may be involved in your care, such as carers, friends and family, also with your permission
We will represent your views, your wishes and your beliefs, not those of others who may be involved, and we will help you communicate these.
We will support your involvement and participation, and help you understand your rights and how your needs can be met under the Care Act.
We can help you weigh up the different care and support options to come to an informed decision.
We offer one to one support in private, and our service is free, confidential and independent.
The Care Act says we must challenge the local authority where we have concerns with the decision-making process.
Care Act Referrals
Any professional involved in an eligible persons’s care or assessment may refer a person to us for Independent Care Act Advocacy using the referral form on the left.
Care Act Presentation for Professionals
We are briefing all social service teams, CMHTs, the safeguarding board and other organisations involved in care to ensure people get their right to advocacy. View Care Act Presentation
Care Act or IMCA?
As there has been some confusion about whether a Care Act Advocate or an IMCA is appropriate, we’ve developed a flowchart to help identify when it is appropriate to refer.