What is Advocacy?
Advocacy means having someone on your side and helps you make sure your voice is heard.
Parentsactive provides free, confidential and independent advocacy for parents and carers of children and young people aged 0–25 with SEND. Our advocacy service works to secure people’s rights, promote their well-being, and ensure their wishes are fully heard and respected.
How we can help?
Advocacy is a highly specialised form of support that enables people, often in the most challenging of circumstances, to have a voice. Our Advocacy Service includes the following:
We offer one-to-one independent support to help parent/carers to:
- Understand their rights, options and next steps
- Prepare for and take part in meetings
- Challenge decisions or raise concerns or make complaints where appropriate
- Stand alongside families who feel overwhelmed or unheard
- Build confidence to self-advocate If something is outside our role, we will signpost you to the right service
When should you refer to Advocacy?
You might benefit from advocacy if you:
- Face barriers in accessing support in education, health, or social care
- If you find it difficult to put your views across due to health disability or language barriers.
- Feel overwhelmed or unsupported and not listened to
- Struggle to secure essential resources like an EHCP, housing adaptations or respite care.
- Your child is facing barriers in education, health, social care or housing and their needs are unmet
- There are safeguarding concerns and families need support.
Who Can Use the Service?
You can use this service if you meet our criteria which can include.
- Live in, or are registered with a GP in Hammersmith, Fulham or Earls Court Area (certain areas within SW6, W14, W8 and W10)
- Are a parent or carer of a child or young person aged 0–25 with additional needs or disabilities
- Parent/carers who are socially isolated with no obvious links to support and vulnerable.
- Parents whose English is their second language.
Referrals are issue-based and time-limited (usually up to 3 months) to ensure we can support as many families as possible.
Our advocacy service is free, confidential, and impartial. We always represent your views and aim to empower you to make informed choices for your family. We offer flexible appointments, remote support and will do our best to provide interpreters where needed.
How to Get Support
You can self-refer or be referred by a professional. Please complete our Referral Form to request advocacy support.
Once we receive your referral, we usually respond between 5–10 working days to discuss your situation and next steps. Waiting lists may apply at busy times.
Not sure if you’re eligible? Get in touch via email at advocacy@parentsactive.org.uk
Since 2025, Parentsactive has received funding from the Earls Court Development Fund to appoint a dedicated Parent Adviser for the Earls Court Development Area. This role is a welcome extension of our existing Advocacy services. The Parent Adviser will work around the Earls Court Opportunity Area.
- Provide one-to-one advice sessions for residents in SW6, W14, W8 and W10
- Organise group sessions and workshops within the Earls Court Development Area
- Support families with advocacy-related enquiries