What is Advocacy?
EPIC’s National Advocacy Service works directly with children and young people in foster care, relative foster care, residential care, special care, and youth detention. We also work with young people in aftercare services and anyone with care experience, up to the age of 26.
We call the people on this team, EPIC Advocates. The service they provide is free, confidential, and independent.
EPIC Advocates can support you, help you to understand your rights, and make sure that your voice is heard in conversations about your care. They will work to make sure that your opinions are taken seriously when decisions are being made about your life.
You might work with an EPIC Advocate if:
- You need information or advice.
- You are worried about something.
- You need other services or supports and need help get them (health, housing, education).
- You want to make a complaint about something you are unhappy with.
How can an Advocate help me?
- Help you to find answers to questions you have.
- Discuss your care plan, aftercare plan, or future.
- Attend a meeting with you or represent you at a meeting at your request.
- Make sure your opinions and voice are heard in decisions being made about your life.
- Support you to directly take part in decision making spaces or processes that affect you.
- Help you to understand the reasons why decisions are made.
How do I get an EPIC Advocate?
It is your decision if you want an Advocate to work with you. You, or someone on your behalf, can request an EPIC Advocate by clicking the button below.
What happens next?
We meet every Friday to go through new requests and assign them to our team of EPIC Advocates. Your Advocate will contact you within two weeks of receiving your request, to arrange a time to speak with you over the phone, in person or online.
