Advocacy – (This is currently under a refresh and will be updated shortly)
If you are looking for someone to help you sort out a problem by speaking up on your behalf, we are aware of the following advocacy services within Lancashire:
Advocacy Access – http://www.advocacyaccess.org.uk/ – “helps you find advocacy support services for issues relating to health and social care within Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen”.
Telephone 0345 456 3210 or usse the online form or email contact@advocacyaccess.org.uk
Advocacy Focus:- http://www.advocacyfocus.org.uk/
0300 323 0965 or admin@advocacyfocus.org.uk
Single Point of contact for advocacy in Lancashire:- http://www.advocacyinlancashire.org.uk
Telephone:- 03300022200
Email:- admin@advocacyinlancashire.co.uk
01253 362140 or admin@ncompassnorthwest.co.uk
Autism-specific advocacy services
Yo Dunn has specific experience related to autism, particularly in the areas of social care, education, benefits, employment, leisure activities, obtaining funding and the legal system (including criminal justice). Her website describes what she can and cannot offer http://www.consultyo.com/
Adults at Risk Team – Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust
Autistic people who need to use the acute hospital services at Ormskirk and Southport can ask for help from the “Adults at Risk Team”. These five nursing matrons are able to offer support to adults who may be vulnerable for various reasons including dementia, learning discability and/or autism. You can contact the team on soh-tr.VulnerableAdultsTeam@nhs.net
Self-advocacy
An Autism Alert Card may be a useful tool in self-advocacy for those times when stress, social phobia or any other autism-related communication difficulty is becoming a problem. Simply presenting such a card can win you enough time to recover your balance – and to allow the person reading the card to make some adjustments which may help things go more smoothly.
The National Autistic Society offers such cards for sale at http://www.autism.org.uk/card
The NAS has an information page on advocacy in the context of autism at: http://www.autism.org.uk/advocacyandautism