Spot Contract Advocacy
Our award-winning, person-centred advocacy service is available on a bespoke spot-purchased basis when there is no existing funding to provide that particular piece of work, or it falls outside the geographical area or statutory advocacy criteria.
Through Spot Contract Advocacy, we work with:
- Case Managers
- Solicitors
- Local Authorities
- Health Trusts
- Clinical Commissioning Groups
We’re here to work alongside your team to provide independent support to your clients. Our holistic approach to advocacy helps people feel better able to speak for themselves and clarify their wishes. We support people to navigate complex procedures, unfamiliar jargon and help them to prepare for hearings, avoid coercion from others and develop strategies for dealing with difficult conversations. A highly experienced and professional service, our transparent and efficient processes save time and resources.
To make a referral, please complete our Spot Contract Referral Form or call 0191 235 7013 to discuss your specific requirements and confirm pricing.
Specialist Services
Our Advocacy Services offer a wide-range of support, including specialist services for:
Personal Injury
We support people following critical accidents. Our specialist brain injury advocates work with Personal Injury claimants as part of their rehabilitation team. We attend the claimants’ Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings and provide relevant updates on the case when required to ensure all planning and rehabilitation is person centred. Feedback from Case Management companies in the region demonstrate that advocacy does not duplicate but is a complementary role which makes case management easier. Indeed in cases where we have acted during the litigation stage, we have been retained by the client’s Deputy to provide input on an on-going basis post-settlement. Learn more in our Frequently Asked Questions about Personal Injury Advocacy
Excellent service to our clients, collaboration with the team whilst remaining the true advocate for the client. I wish we could access this for all our clients.
Case Manager
I have been really happy with what your service has been able to offer my client and I think we both know what a difference it has made and no doubt will continue to make.
Case Manager
The advocates I have worked alongside have always remained professional, dedicated and provided valuable input. I have been able to develop and maintain professional relationships which supports practice and is beneficial in the context of upholding and promoting the rights of individuals who access services.
Solicitor
Case study: Read about how we supported Mohammad
Case study: Read about how we supported Claire
Watch our advocate Gus talk about his work on Personal Injury below
Watch our advocate Jane talk about her work on Personal Injury below
Child Protection
We support families attending Child Protection court hearings, who welcome the help to understand and engage fully in the process. We help them understand the complex legal system and language spoken which can make the process less time consuming and intimidating, especially where people have learning disabilities or mental health issues.
It’s cheaper to fund advocacy than care proceedings, Advocacy must be funded throughout this process.
Independent Reviewing Officer
I just wanted to pass on my thanks to yourself and your service for the help and assistance you provided to our client within care proceedings. I know that she has felt extremely reassured by the support of yourself and feels she has had her voice heard for the first time. She can become overwhelmed and confused at hearing a lot of information and this was apparent especially within care proceedings, when the situation is already stressful. She felt more confident and able to understand by having you present within the Local Authority meetings, court hearings and appointments with myself. It has meant that if she hasn’t fully understood something, she can reach out to you and feel supported that way.
Solicitor
Case study: Read about how we supported Sara
Case study: Read about how we supported Linda
Watch our advocate Claire talk about her work on Child Protection below
Court of Protection
We support people to take legal challenges through the Court of Protection. Our advocates are trained an experienced in the statutory role and can raise a Mental Capacity Act Section 21a Challenge and ensure a person has legal representation to take objections to their restrictions through the court. We can help a person to challenge and request changes to improve the quality of their life.
[The Advocate] was brilliant at communication and making sure the client's views were heard and represented at all times.
Solicitor
Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards
We provide the Relevant Person’s Representative or IMCA 39A or 39D for your residents who are placed in a care home in the North East of England. We can visit regularly and provide RPR reports for the DoLS team after each visit.
We use the service for paid RPR for DoLS, always impressed with the quality of the advocacy and also prompt report writing and keep us as a Local Authority informed of any concerns.
DoLS RPR Commissioner
Everything is going fantastic, he has settled with no problems and seems to be extremely pleased and happy with where he is and everything about it. When I speak with him each night he seems so happy and uplifted. It is just wonderful and I feel like an enormous boulder has been lifted off my shoulders! Thank you so very much for everything, all the help over this long period of time. I could not of had better or finer support.
Family member
Autism Advocacy
We have a team of trained and specialist advocates to work with people with autism in any setting, both community based or in patient settings. Because of this we are the preferred Mental Health provider in the national Autism Inpatient Unit, which is based in our region at Mitford in Northgate Hospital Morpeth, for people sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
The IMHA has been outstanding in this and previous hearings, always very well informed about the client's needs and wishes which greatly assisted the process.
Mental Health Tribunal
In all my years of chairing CTRs I have never met an advocate who really knew the client so well. You can talk about their entire experience of using services and understand their wishes and feelings.
Responsible Clinician
Continuing Health Care Assessments
We provide advocates to help Health Case Managers to ensure a person us fully involved in their Continuing Health Care Assessment. Our expert advocates use communication methods to ensure a person is fully engaged in the process and can reflect their views and wishes in their health plans.
Your report was fantastic, it really helped me with making the decision.
Case Manager
Why Choose Connected Voice Advocacy?
Experienced experts
We are a trusted leader in instructed and non-instructed advocacy, with decades of experience. Our advocates are respected experts in the Mental Capacity, Mental Health and Care Acts, as well as having a working knowledge of how to use Human Rights and Equality legislation in their approaches.
Independent
We have robust procedures to ensure that we maintain our independence throughout. Our service-users can rely on us to stand shoulder to shoulder with them, with no allegiance to any other agency.
Person-centred
We provide an impartial perspective that is totally person-centred. Our only agenda is to ascertain the person’s views and wishes and ensure they are taken into account in all decision-making and planning. We use tailored communication methods to capture the views of people in vulnerable situations.
We take a rights-based approach to effect change, and understand complexities of interfacing legislation.
Our holistic advocacy helps people to navigate and work within complex legal frameworks by preparing them for hearings, identifying key things to discuss, avoiding coercion from others, developing strategies for dealing with difficult conversations, and understanding complex information and unfamiliar jargon. Positive outcomes for people include feeling better able to speak for themselves and clarify their wishes, being better prepared for court proceedings, knowing what is expected of them, engaging better in processes. Our support also ensures better relationships with family members and effective links with other support services.
You have done really good work with xxx. After your visit we have noticed a difference in her autonomy and ability to say 'no' with people. You have done great work helping her understand her rights.
Care Coordinator
Quality
We have been awarded successive Advocacy Quality Performance Marks since 2005. We have received the 'Outstanding Service' award at the National Advocacy Awards in 2018 and 2022. Our statutory advocacy services are audited by Gateshead Council with excellent outcome performance.
We recognise the importance of effective, systematic record keeping for presenting in court and providing witness statements. We understand how the value of our services can be quantified and included within the claimant’s claim for damages, and our transparent and efficient processes save time and resources.
Your record keeping is excellent.
Solicitor
Our commitment to self-advocacy
We specialise in encouraging and supporting people to develop their skills and abilities to advocate for themselves, where possible. This can improve people’s feelings of independence, self-confidence, choice and control, quality of life, health and wellbeing.
We have a wide range of resources available including our self-advocacy app DIY Advocate®.
Refer to us
If you or someone you know requires an advocate for something that is not provided through our funded services, please complete our Spot Contract Referral Form.
Please note that if you are completing the Spot Contract Referral Form without having made an enquiry, the cost in Section C will be blank and cost will be negotiated once we receive your referral. Contact us if you would like to discuss our pricing structure before making the referral.
