What is Independent Advocacy

Children and Young People’s Advocacy

Eating Disorders

If you’re a child or a young person experiencing an eating disorder, or think that you might be, it is important that you get to say how you feel and what you want. Advocacy can assist you to have as much choice and control as possible. It’s up to you if you want to have an advocacy worker or not.

Your advocacy worker will be on your side, helping you to say what you want.

We are independent from everyone else and only work for you.

Your Advocacy Worker can help you to:

🗣Say how you feel and what you want
🤔Ask questions and understand what is happening
Understand your rights

Your advocacy worker can help you to have your voice heard about:

  • your care and treatment plan;
  • school and education;
  • housing;
  • employment;
  • benefits;
  • and anything else that you need support with.

CAPS Advocacy Workers can help you if you are:

  • aged 5-18
  • live in East Lothian, Midlothian, West Lothian, or Edinburgh, (either in the community or in hospital);
  • experiencing an eating disorder, or think you might be. You do not need to have a formal diagnosis to receive advocacy support from our service.

Contact us to speak to an advocacy worker or for more information:

Call the Children and Young People’s Advocacy Team on 0131 273 5236

Or email us at ypadvocacy@capsadvocacy.org

You can also ask an adult to contact us for you if you would prefer that.

What does an Advocacy Worker do?
  • An advocacy worker can support you to express your views and wishes;
  • they can go with you to assessments, appointments, and other meetings to provide advocacy as you need it;
  • They can talk to support and advice services for you, to help you find out more information;
  • they can help you to understand what is going on around you and understand what your rights are.
What does an Advocacy Worker not do?
  • We won’t make any decisions about what we think is best for you, give you advice or tell you what to do;
  • we aren’t health professionals so we can’t give medical advice;
  • we aren’t lawyers so we can’t give legal advice;
  • we won’t do anything unless you ask us to.
Will my Advocacy Worker talk to other people about my situation?

CAPS Advocacy Workers are totally independent. This means we are not part of any other service, and we only work for you. We will not talk to other people about your situation unless you ask us to. The only time where we might have to talk to someone about you without you saying it’s okay is if we’re very worried about you or another person’s safety. We would always try to talk to you about this first.

Do I have to pay anything?

No. All our help is free, so you don’t have to pay us anything. All our work with children and young people is paid for by NHS Lothian.

What if I change my mind?

It is your choice, so you can start and stop advocacy at any time. The decision is yours.

How can I get an Advocacy Worker?

You can refer yourself to the service or an adult can do it for you. It is important to remember that we only work for you, and not the person who has referred you.

Contact us for help from an advocacy worker or for more information:

  • call the Children and Young People’s Advocacy Team on 0131 273 5236
  • email us at ypadvocacy@capsadvocacy.org
  • you can also ask an adult to contact us for you if you would prefer.
If I am a professional or family member can I make a referral?

Yes, but it is up to the child or young person whether they want to work with us. They do not have to work with us just because they have been referred. It is their choice. We will share any information you give us in the referral with the child or young person.

It is also important to remember that we only work for the child or young person, and not the person who has referred them.

Where can I find out more?

For more information, please see: Children and Young People’s Advocacy (Eating Disorders) Leaflet.

For information about complaints please see: Complaint Form (CYP) and Making a Complaint (CYP)

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