Advocacy
Advocacy is about making sure the voices of people with autism, families or carers are heard
The Principles and Standards in Independent Advocacy Organisations and Groups, Advocacy 2008 identifies the main themes of advocacy as:
• Safeguarding people who are vulnerable and discriminated against or whom services find difficult to serve.
• Empowering people who need a stronger voice by enabling them to express their own needs and make their own decisions.
• Enabling people to gain access to information, explore and understand their options, and to make their views and wishes known.
• Speaking on behalf of people who are unable to do so for themselves.
Advocacy services are available to support a person with ASD at any stage of their life. There are several organisations you can contact for advocacy support:
Forth Valley Advocacy’s Mission Statement
“To PROMOTE the rights, freedom and dignity of vulnerable people, to SUPPORT people to have their say and to DEFEND disadvantaged people from abuse and exploitation”
To this end we provide a free professional independent advocacy service to people covered by:
- Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000
- Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003
- Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007