Advocacy
- Advocacy - introduction
- Advocacy services for adults
- Advocacy services for children and young people
Advocacy Partners represents the interests of people who have a learning disability.
Advocacy Partners:
- Helps people to speak out for themselves
- Finds volunteers to speak out with people
- Employs staff to make sure people's rights are respected
Age Concern Croydon and Disability Croydon have formed a partnership to deliver advocacy for vulnerable older people and people with physical disabilities and/or sensory impairments in Croydon, with funding from Croydon Social Services. The service will support people to:
- express what they want
- secure their rights
- represent their interests
- help them get the services they need
Its underpinning principles are to promote social inclusion, equality and social justice.
This advocacy service can be contacted via Age Concern Croydon and Disability Croydon.
Carers' Information Service provides an enquiry service for carers and professionals on any aspect of caring. It produces a range of free publications including a bi-monthly newsletter: Carers' News, a series of regularly updated factsheets and How To... A Guide For Carers in Croydon. There are also regular training courses, monthly outreach information sessions and outings for carers.
The Charisma Project provides a culturally appropriate service to BME elders with mental health needs or dementia as well as to their carers. Its aims are:
- To target BME elders with mental health problems/dementia, some of whom may also have physical disabilities
- Through the provision of assessments, outreach and advocacy, to make sure BME elders and their carers have better and fairer access to services, reducing isolation and increasing involvement within local communities
- To provide some specific day provision tailored to meet BME elders' diverse needs
- To offer training support to BME carers on issues affecting their loved ones as well as accessing services
Croydon Women's Aid Lay Advocacy Service provides help to empower and support people experiencing domestic violence who wish to access civil and criminal action against partners (including same sex relationships).
Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA) service
Advocacy Partners is piloting this year in Croydon an important new service called the Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA). From 2007, as part of the Mental Capacity Act (2005), ‘unbefriended’ people who lack the capacity to make decisions about their healthcare or long-term accommodation, will have a legal right to an IMCA.
The IMCA will support and represent the person in the decision making process. The pilot project will also provide important information to define the future IMCA services. Contact Terry Gorczynska on the details below or visit the IMCA web page for referrals and more information.
Mind in Croydon provide support to people in hospital or in the community who need help in clarifying their options and presenting their views to mental health professionals. This help is offered both in formal contexts (such as ward rounds and Care Plan Assessments) and less formally. Mind in Croydon can also help with formal complaints, normally through the NHS or Social Services systems.
Rethink Croydon Carers' Support Project provides support, advice, advocacy, information, education and training to relatives and friends of people with severe mental health problems. They also run three carer support groups which meet monthly.
As part of our services for people with sight disabilities we offer an advocacy service, see also Sight or Hearing Disabilities.
For a number of support organisations for carers, people with learning disabilities, people with physical, sight or hearing disabilities and people with mental health or substance misuse problems, please see the respective service for more details or contact Social Services for Adults.
Contact Details
- Contact name
- Social services for adults
- Telephone
- 020 8726 6500
- Minicom
- 020 8760 5797
- Referral.team2@croydon.gov.uk
- Address
- Taberner House
Park Lane
Croydon CR9 3JS
- Contact name
- Disability Croydon Advocacy
- Telephone
- 020 8684 5538
- Fax
- 020 8689 3414
- advocacy@disabilitycroydon.org.uk
- Address
- Room 2.07
Strand House
Thornton Heath
CR7 8RG - Website
- www.disabilitycroydon.org.uk
- Contact name
- Rethink Croydon Carers' Support Project
- Telephone
- 020 8649 6281
- Fax
- 020 8686 3472
- dudley.edwards@rethink.org.uk
- Address
- Rethink Carers' Support Project
Courtyard House
1d Church Road
Croydon CR0 1SG - Website
- www.carerscontactline.co.uk/rethink
- Contact name
- Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA) service
- Telephone
- 0845 0175 198
- imca@advocacypartners.org
- Address
- McMillan House
54 Cheam Common Road,
Worcester Park,
Surrey
KT4 8RH - Website
- www.advocacypartners.org/IMCA.htm
- Contact name
- Carers' Information Service
- Telephone
- 020 8649 9339
- Fax
- 020 8686 3472
- helenthompson@carerscontactline.co.uk
- Address
- C/o Carers Contactline
Courtyard House
1d Church Road
Croydon CR0 1SG - Website
- www.carerscontactline.co.uk
- Contact name
- Mind in Croydon Advocacy
- Telephone
- 020 8763 6730
- advocacy@mindincroydon.org.uk
- Address
- 26 Pampisford Road
Purley
Surrey
CR8 2NE - Website
- www.mindincroydon.org.uk
- Contact name
- Croydon Women's Aid Lay Advocacy Service
- Telephone
- 020 8688 0100
- Address
- Family Justice Centre
- Contact name
- Charisma Project for BME Elders with Mental Health Needs
- Telephone
- 020 8239 6061
- Toprestore@aol.com
- Address
- Tabernacle of Praise
Praise House
21-23 Woodville Road
Thornton Heath
Surrey CR7 8YT
- Contact name
- Age Concern Croydon
- Telephone
- 020 8680 5450
- Fax
- 020 8288 9229
- acc@ageconcerncroydon.org.uk
- Address
- 158-162 London Road
Croydon CR0 2TD - Website
- www.ageconcerncroydon.org.uk
- Contact name
- Advocacy Partners
- Telephone
- 020 8330 6644
- Fax
- 020 8330 6622
- info@advocacypartners.org.uk
- Address
- McMillan House
54 Cheam Common Rd
Worcester Park
Surrey
KT4 8RH - Website
- www.advocacypartners.org
