Individual advocacy
Individual Advocacy for adults
If you’re aged between 18-65 and resident in East Lothian or Midlothian whether in the community or in a hospital, or you live anywhere in Lothian and have an eating disorder or you live in Midlothian or East Lothian and identify as LGBTQIA+.
Children and young people’s Advocacy
If you’re a child or young person attending a Children’s Hearing or experiencing an eating disorder, it is important that you get to say how you feel and what you want. An advocacy worker can help you to get your voice heard.
What is individual advocacy?
In Scotland, everyone experiencing a mental health issue has the right to access independent advocacy.
Sometimes it can feel hard to speak up or explain everything you want to say.
It can be hard to take in lots of complicated information in meetings. You may feel overwhelmed, rushed or not listened to.
Independent advocacy can help. Our advocacy workers can support you to:
- Prepare for and attend meetings.
- Have your say.
- Get the information you need to help you make your own choices and understand your options.
I felt listened to more with CAPS helping out – I wasn't listened to before by Social Work.
Person using our services
[Independent Advocacy] helped me to say if there was something I wasn't happy about.
Young person using our services
I don't know what I'd have done without [my advocacy worker] – he makes sure I'm up to speed and that I understand things.
Person using our services
It was about having someone in my corner, especially when talking to doctors.
Person using our services