Proposed changes to advocacy services

Overview

Voluntary Community Sector services for adults

Leicester City Council has undertaken a review of its adult social care voluntary community sector preventative services.

These are non-statutory services which play a role in delaying or preventing people from needing long term adult social care support.

62 services have been reviewed which provide a range of support for vulnerable adults including older people; carers, people with mental health needs; people with physical and sensory disabilities and people with learning disabilities. 

As part of the review the Council looked at what is needed in the City to ensure the funding is spent on services which meet these needs and to provide the best outcome for people who use them.

The Council is committed to maintaining its investment in the voluntary sector at this time. However, it is recommending some changes in how this money is spent in order to best deliver the services that are needed and support its priorities. This affects advocacy and counselling.

We are proposing to make changes to the way both advocacy and counselling services are provided. This is what we would like to hear you views on.

Why your views matter

We want to find out what people think about the proposed changes to the advocacy services provided by the Voluntary Community Sector currently funded by adult social care.

Following a review of services we are proposing to change the way these services are delivered. This consultation is an opportunity for you to have your say.  

The current position

Advocacy services are provided by seven voluntary community sector organisations delivering a range of specialist and general advocacy services within the city. Not all client groups are specifically targeted. The current advocacy providers are as follows:

Akwaaba Ayeh

Alzheimer's Society

Carers of Leicestershire Advocacy & Support Project (CLASP)

Leicestershire Action for Mental Health Project (LAMP)

Leicestershire Ethnic Elderly Advocacy Project (LEEAP)

Mencap

Mosaic: Shaping Disability Services

The Consultation Proposal

Adult social care intends to introduce a new way of delivering advocacy services. The council aims to improve access for groups who have found it hard to access the service in the past. The proposed options will need to cost the Council less than it costs now as this money will be invested in other services to help people remain independent.

We are looking for a new way to deliver services and there are two options for you to consider.

Advocacy Option 1

Adult social care would arrange for advocacy services to be provided by a single organisation in the city.

or

Advocacy Option 2

Adult social care would arrange for advocacy services to be provided by a number of organisations.

Whichever option is agreed and implemented following the consultation, both general and specialist advocacy services will be delivered to a wider target group than at present. We will also be looking to ensure qualified staff are employed and recognised quality standards are met.

If you require any further information, please read the service user leaflet below.

To take part in this consultation, please click on the Online Survey link below.

Consultation exercise with current providers and service users

Alongside this opportunity to have your say, it is also proposed to run an engagement exercise with current providers and service users of Voluntary Community Sector Preventative Services. The Council will communicate the outcome of the review and seek their views and opinions on a range of general service improvements which the Council wants to introduce in all areas of provision.