Our advocacy services are governed by a clear set of principles based on:

Independence - advocates must be free from any influence by providers of health or social care and from any conflicts of interest.

Empowerment - our ultimate goal is to enable those using our services to develop towards self-advocacy. Advocates must always support them in speaking for themselves but, where this is not possible, he or she must represent their views as if they were the advocate's own.

Impartiality - advocates must be impartial and non-judgmental. They are separate from an individual's assessment, treatment and monitoring and, as advocates, must listen to and hear that individual's report as their truth and therefore valid.

Confidentiality - all discussions between anyone using the service and an advocate must be in the strictest confidence.

Inclusion - the service must recognise diversity and ensure no one is excluded because of a difference in language, culture, disability, or capacity.

Free access - advocacy is a free service and must not discriminate on grounds of poverty or wealth.

(These principles are not only central to our advocacy service, but are vital to our core emphasis on recovery for all families affected by child sexual abuse).