Advocacy (Signpost)

Who is this for?

• Families and guardians of young people aged between 0-18 years old who have additional support needs (whether or not they have received a formal diagnosis)

Who provides this?

• Signpost

Description

* During Covid-19, Signpost staff are working from home so please contact them by email at enquiries@signpost-online.co.uk giving your name, phone number and brief details of your enquiry, and someone will call you back.

Signpost is a small, local charity that covers the whole of West Lothian. Its team of 5 part-time staff support families of young people age 0-18, with additional support needs and disabilities, helping them to navigate the many challenges they face. The team actively listen to parents/carers and help them to evaluate options and make a plan to move forward. They help families to communicate what matters to them when they feel unheard and develop their skills, knowledge and confidence to make decisions. They offer informal emotional support and signposting to mental health services if appropriate.

Whatever the problem, the Signpost team are ‘here to help’. If Signpost can’t help, the team will direct families to a more appropriate service or support.

The service is open to families whether or not a formal diagnosis has been given.

Signpost’s advocacy service can support families who may need help to get their point across at meetings, such as school planning meetings. The team can discuss your situation before the meeting, help you to make yourself heard and negotiate solutions during the meeting, and build your skills and confidence for future meetings. 

The team can also, with the parent’s permission, speak to the young people involved to get their point of view and suggestions, if they are reluctant to speak for themselves. This means that they have a say in the decisions that affect them.  

Please note: 

• this service is popular, so a Signpost member of staff may not be able to attend every meeting we are asked about
• Signpost can’t help indefinitely; instead, the team try to give you the skills and tools to manage future meetings confidently without our support.

You may also want to look in Signpost’s resources section on its website for information about self-advocacy.

How do I access this?

• Self-referrals
• Referrals by third parties

Is there a cost?

Free

Is there a waiting list?

Yes

Location information

• Public parking available
• Wheelchair access

Opening times