Advocacy and keyworking

All children and young people should  be involved when decisions are being made about their lives.

This applies equally to disabled children - while they are not always able to communicate verbally, it is vital that they have their say. Our advocacy services for children and young people ensure that their opinions are heard.

Professional advocacy services

No matter what the issue, we can advocate on behalf of disabled children. Advocacy keyworkers can assist with all sorts of things. Like accompanying young people to school meetings to discuss their access to the curriculum, or visiting. residential short break homes to discuss any issues. They can also help parents - where there are problems with medical appointments, or to challenge important decisions made by a benefits agency, In short, wherever the support is needed we'll be there.

Keyworking

We're experts in communicating with disabled children and young people. And we know that children get the best out of life when they can express their needs and views. It lets them make choices, and follow the opportunities that are really important  That's a key part of our vision: to help children to reach their full potential.

Support at the right time

Caring for a disabled child or young person can be challenging. Even the most experienced parents and carers will sometimes need someone to turn to for advice and support. That's where our keyworkers come in. They offer support when it is needed, not just when there is a problem. By working together with families and children in this way, issues can be prevented from escalating.

Families dictate the level of contact that suits them. Our keyworkers can then offer tailored, long-term support. It's all about what works for the individual family.

Looking after individual needs

Listening is important. Keyworkers will take the time to hear any concerns or issues, and can communicate these to other professionals. They will get to know the parents and family, drawing up a plan of support based on their needs. This plan will be shared with everyone involved with the child's care.

Our keyworkers monitor the support plan, keeping everyone informed of progress and any changes made. They stay till they get results - offering support for as long as it takes.