A Service User (SU) was recently receiving help from a SIS bilingual Social Prescriber to be referred into appropriate local services. Through that casework, it was identified that he is an unpaid carer for his wife and that he was neither aware of nor accessing any services in connection to this. The SU is a refugee with a young family. The SIS Projects Team decided to open an advocacy case to support him to understand and access the services provided through the Carer’s Centre (CC), specifically a carer’s assessment.
The Advocate contacted the SU to explain the service and then liaised with CC to get an assessment appointment. The Advocate requested CC to send out translated materials to the SU so that he could prepare for his appointment. They followed up with him to check he had received that, and as he hadn’t, they chased it up with CC. When he had received the materials, the Advocate made sure he understood the information and supported him to prepare for the appointment. They then attended the appointment together with the SU.
Due to language barriers and lack of knowledge of UK systems, the SU would not have known about the CC nor been able to refer himself to them without the support of a SIS bilingual Advocate. Although the CC have some information translated into this SU’s language, he still needed support to clarify expectations around what kind of support he might get and how to present his needs during the assessment.
The outcome of the assessment was that the SU received a carer’s card, he will join the Peer Support group and will be referred to benefit from other projects like the BHCC Reablement Services and Crossroads Care. He was also informed about other support like further help from the Council, the Carer’s allowance application, support groups in the community and support with low-cost internet and electrical equipment.
The Advocate followed up with the original referrer (a CVS organisation) into SIS’ social prescribing service to let them know about this additional support SIS had been able to provide through advocacy.
The SU was grateful for all the support SIS provided for him. He said:
‘As new to the country with no English, family joining me recently, my wife with health conditions and young children, I would not know what to do or where to ask for support. Thank you so much for helping us to feel supported and get the help we need’.
He knows that he is always welcome to contact SIS should he have any language needs in the future.