🌟 Empowering Voices: Swansea IPA Service Reflects on a Year (2024/2025) of Impact
- mhmadmin
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
At MHM Wales, we believe everyone has the right to be heard, especially when it comes to making decisions that affect their lives. Our Independent Professional Advocacy (IPA) Service in Swansea, commissioned by Swansea Local Authority, has continued to deliver on that mission — ensuring people across the city have a trusted voice by their side.
As we reflect on the past year, we’re proud to share the highlights from our 2024/25 Annual Review, which offers a powerful snapshot of the difference independent advocacy makes.
💬 What Is Independent Professional Advocacy?
Independent Professional Advocacy helps adults who may struggle to have their voices heard when engaging with social services. Whether it’s understanding your rights, speaking up in meetings, or making informed choices around care and support, IPA ensures no one is left to face complex systems alone.
In line with the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, local authorities have a duty to ensure access to advocacy when there is no appropriate individual available to support a person in participating fully.
Our team of dedicated IPA Advocates in Swansea are based at the Civic Centre and work across a range of situations — from care assessments and child protection cases to safeguarding concerns and support for carers.
📈 A Year in Numbers
Over 500 people supported, including 116 new referrals
Most referrals came from professionals in social care, health, and legal settings
Increasing engagement with parent-carers, particularly those navigating PLO processes
Expanded reach to individuals with autism, learning disabilities, and complex needs
More than 170 onward referrals made to services including legal aid, mental health support, and housing
A consistent improvement in wellbeing scores, measured using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS)
These numbers are important, but it’s the human stories that really tell the tale — stories of people being empowered to speak up, feel heard, and move forward.
🤝 Community Connection
This year, our team has been out in the community more than ever. From awareness events at Swansea Waterfront Museum to new outreach opportunities with the Jac Lewis Foundation, we’re committed to making advocacy accessible.
We’ve also been working closely with professionals through the Swansea Mental Health Forum and other networks to raise awareness of when and how to involve advocacy early — especially in high-pressure situations where support can make all the difference.
🧠 Advocacy Improves Wellbeing
It’s not just about rights and representation. Advocacy plays a key role in improving emotional wellbeing. Using the WEMWBS tool, we’ve seen a consistent upward shift in wellbeing scores for those receiving advocacy support — showing that being listened to can be life-changing.
👀 Looking Ahead
We’re aiming to grow the service even further in the year ahead:
Boosting early intervention, particularly for parents at risk of escalation to child protection proceedings
Expanding access to underrepresented groups, including older adults and those with sensory impairments
Strengthening local partnerships so advocacy is part of every care conversation from the start
“Our independent and impartial support provides a safe space for you to push for the changes you want to see.” – Swansea IPA Advocate
📣 Help Us Spread the Word
If you work in health, social care, housing, or the third sector — or if you know someone who may benefit from advocacy — we encourage you to learn more and refer.
Contact us on:
0300 10 249 70
Let’s make sure every voice in Swansea is heard — loud and clear.
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