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Advocacy and legal help for disabled people

What is advocacy?

An advocate is someone who can support and put a case forward on behalf of a person who may have difficulty in expressing themselves for any reason.

The websites listed below provide links to organisations who can provide advocacy services and to organisations who can provide legal help, advice and information on disability related issues to those affected by disability.

  • IMCA - Independent Mental Capacity Advocates - support people who lack capacity to make certain decisions. Local Authorities and NHS bodies have a duty to instruct an IMCA to support an individual if they meet the criteria as laid out in the Mental Capacity Act 2005. This webpage also provides details of the IMCA provider for Warwickshire.
  • Independent Advocacy - offer a free professional service representing the interests of people who may find it difficult to be heard or speak out for themselves, including those with disabilities and those with mental health problems.
  • Council of Disabled People, Warwickshire and Coventry - is a charity organisation that exists to promote and realise the interests of disabled people as well as providing services directly to disabled people, including supporting individuals to self advocate.
  • Disability Law Service - provides high quality legal information and advice to disabled people. It is run by disabled people for disabled people.
  • The Children's Legal Centre - gives legal representation for children, ensuring that children, parents, carers and professionals can get accurate information on child law and access the support and services to which they are entitled.