Hertfordshire

Central and East of England > Hertfordshire

POhWER was founded in Hertfordshire in 1996. 

We offer the following services in Hertfordshire:

• Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA), including Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and Relevant Person's Paid Representative Services (RPPR)
• Litigation Friend and Rule 1.2 Representative
• Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA)
• Community Advocacy including Community Mental Health Advocacy - available to adults over 18 that live in Hertfordshire and are registered with a local GP.     
• Independent Care Act Advocacy
• NHS Complaints Advocacy
• Secure Services Advocacy
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
• Peer advocacy delivered by experts by experience and Group advocacy 

We deliver services in the county in partnership with a wide range of voluntary sector organisations; including:

• RAD
• Health & Independent Living Support (HILS)
• Herts Viewpoint
• Headway Hertfordshire
• Herts Vision Loss

How do I get support from an advocate?

To make a referral to the advocacy services in Hertfordshire, you can download the forms below:

• Community Advocacy referral form
• NHS Complaints Advocacy referral form
• Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA) referral form
• Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) referral form
• Advocacy for Parents Professional referral form
• Care Act Advocacy referral form

If you are deaf and would like to make a referral for deaf advocacy including support in BSL, please contact The Royal Association for Deaf People (RAD) directly:

Online referral at: www.royaldeaf.org.uk/make-a-referral 
Send a BSL video or email to: [email protected]  
Text SMS: 07851 423866
Telephone: 0300 688 2525

If you are not sure whether you can get an advocate, or for more information, advice and support in your area, you can contact us on 0300 456 2370 or email [email protected]

Local Leaflets

Other useful information

Learning disabilities - help with your health

The Learning disabilities - help with your health website supports people with a learning disability (and their carers) to access help with their health. 

The website currently includes:

• Easy-read Leaflets regarding Learning Disability Nursing Services and what they can do to help you
• Information regarding Annual Health Checks
• Information regarding Purple Folders
• List of Purple Star Services in Hertfordshire. (The Purple Star a quality kite mark and is offered to all health providers who are willing to review their service, to undertake training and improvements to provide a reasonably adjusted, equitable service for people with a Learning Disability).
• A section on ‘How to Stay Healthy’

Cuckooing - what is it? and how to report it

Cuckooing is where criminals take over the home of a vulnerable person to use it as a base for their activities.

If you suspect someone is a victim of Cuckooing please report it.

To find out more about Cuckooing or to find out how to report please visit the Hertfordshire County Council - What is Cuckooing? page