Jermaine's story
Jermaine has significant physical health needs following an unsuccessful hip operation. He had always lived at home with his elderly mother, but she was struggling with her own health issues and finding it increasingly difficult to care for him. Staff at the day centre he attended five days a week were also finding his behaviour hard to manage. Both his family and the day centre felt the time had come for Jermaine to move into a place of his own.
Finding out what Jermaine actually wanted
Before any decisions were made, Jermaine needed an advocate – someone to make sure his own views, wishes, and feelings were at the centre of the process. He had never lived away from his mum and was worried about her. But with time and support, he warmed to the idea of moving, as long as it was somewhere nearby.
Navigating the system
A referral was made to social services and a social worker was allocated to carry out an assessment. Several options were presented, and Jermaine’s advocate helped him work out which one felt right for him. When funding delays meant the move couldn’t go ahead, his advocate supported him to make a formal complaint to the local authority and the ombudsman. When a new place became available and the process moved more quickly, his advocate made sure all the plans were in place and kept communication flowing smoothly between the home and the local authority.
Jermaine today
Jermaine has now moved into his own place. He likes his room, he’s happy and settled, and his family are grateful for everything advocacy made possible.
“We would not have managed to get through the system without the support of Advocacy Matters.”
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