Certificate in Independent Advocacy - Units

Candidates must complete all four core modules and one specialist module in order to obtain the full Certificate in Independent Advocacy. You will alternatively be able to claim Unit Accreditation for individual units once completed and assessed. Specialist modules have been designed for specific roles (i.e. Independent Mental Capacity Advocates (IMCA) and Independent Mental Health Advocates (IMHA)). We recommend undertaking the ‘Providing Independent Advocacy to Adults’ specialist module if you provide more general advocacy.
To become a qualified IMCA, candidates must also complete the additional Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards specialist module which gives you the Diploma in Independent Advocacy, providing you have also completed the core modules. Guidance from the Department of Health states that commissioners of IMCA services should expect advocates to have completed the assessment for both their specialist units, including DOLS. If you have only done the IMCA module so far you may not have done enough but it is not too late.

Also, more commissioners are requiring advocates to have the full Certificate so having the core modules as well will give you a much needed advantage when it comes to renewing tenders.

- Core modules (each module = 1 course day)
- Purpose and principles of independent advocacy
- Providing independent advocacy support
- Maintaining the independent advocacy relationship
- Responding to the advocacy needs of different groups of people

- Specialist module
- Providing independent advocacy to adults (N.B. run over 2 course days -recommended for most candidates)
- Providing independent mental capacity advocacy (IMCA) (N.B. run over 4 course days – for practising IMCAs only)
- Providing independent mental capacity advocacy – Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS/IMCA) (N.B. run over 2 course    days – for practising IMCAs only)
- Independent mental health advocacy (IMHA) (N.B. run over 3 course days – for practising IMHAs only)
- Providing independent advocacy management (N.B. please enquire directly about this module if you are interested in completing it)
- Independent advocacy with children and young people (N.B. this module is not offered currently as it is only endorsed in Wales at present)

Please contact us for more information and you will also find more specific information on each unit in the Qualification Handbook on the City & Guilds website or by following this link:
http://www.cityandguilds.com/48098.html?search_term=7566