40 Exploring the difference made by Support at home to other, sometimes stretched, services is The Red Cross is in a unique position of being very labour intensive. It requires a significant able to support people to access other services time investment with outcomes that may as a respected and impartial organisation. This not immediately materialise. The very short is a core part of our work and requires a certain nature of some of our services can restrict the understanding and skills set which people can be follow-up necessary for good signposting. developed to achieve. Although we may describe However, good signposting provides continuity this as advocating for our service users it should of support (where needed) to the service user not be confused with independent advocates, and can mitigate the impact of our service professionally trained roles focussing on ending. We need to ensure that we build into supporting people to have a stronger voice. our service delivery models the capacity and time necessary for good signposting to take The research found many good examples of place. For example, the need for signposting where Support at home staff and volunteers were onto a longer-term service should be assessed advocating on behalf of service users in varied and identified at the start of the service, giving situations, and to varying degrees. This ranged staff/volunteers the maximum possible lead from cancelling a mis-sold life insurance policy, to time to put the service in place. supporting a service user refused food by a food bank, to chasing up and ensuring service users get > Support the development and sustainability the appropriate support or assessments they need of local community resources. The study from mental health or other social service teams. highlighted the added complication that there Exercising these advocacy skills can often occur are sometimes no other organisations where as our service is coming to an end, and as such people can be signposted on to. The Red Cross contributes to ensuring a continuity of support is well placed to support the capacity of locally for the service user. based community organisations to provide additional community support to those people Implications for the organisation to consider: who have lower levels of social need. This > Provide training for staff and volunteers to would also feed into enabling recommendation use advocacy skills when appropriate. The 3 – extending our reach through partnership research suggests we enhance and embed this working. vital component of our work and encourage the development of advocacy skills through > Provide training for staff and volunteers on clear organisational guidance and training signposting. Guidelines are needed for new for staff and volunteers. In order to ensure a and existing staff and volunteers. The study consistent approach across the organisation highlighted that the quality and depth of training sessions should cover when and signposting across the UK varies from simply how it is appropriate to advocate, as well as handing someone a leaflet, to accompanying for how long. Information could be shared them to the new organisation and fully on, for example, what rights people have supporting the transition. Examples of very regarding access to community care services, good signposting practice can be found in the the assessment processes and common Red Cross’s services – including identifying issues people encounter. In addition, an service users’ needs and potential need for understanding of the difference between the signposting upfront – but the research also work we do and the work of professional found that this does not occur consistently independent advocates would serve to ensure across the service. that it is clear when we should act and when we should refer onto specialist services. 7. grow our skills in order to advocate on behalf of our service users “When they say we’re from the British Red Cross, I’m a supporter on behalf of so and so... I feel the other side, they [start] listening.” (British Red Cross service user) Enabling service users get what they need, through the resource of time, attention and persistence is a core part of the service. The research highlighted the value that our service users place on this.