Self-advocacy Groups from MLMC

Hi everyone,

Just a reminder that My Life My Choice runs monthly self-advocacy groups across Oxfordshire. Dates and locations can be found here: https://www.mylifemychoice.org.uk/lists/3-self-advocacy-groups

In particular I’ve been asked to advertise our Young People’s Group - which is definitely our liveliest and most well attended group, and the only one with pizza! You can find the details here: https://www.mylifemychoice.org.uk/resources/10-young-people-s-group The people who come are between 18 and about 27, although there’s not a strict upper age limit.

1 Like

Thanks very much, My Life My Choice.

Lots of opportunities there!

Hi. I am the mother of a severely disabled son who does not have the mental capacity to claim membership of this group on the basis of “My life, my choice”. However, I feel strongly that I am the best placed person to advocate for him, and I suspect that in the future he may be pushed towards best interest decisions made on his behalf that he himself, could he speak, would not be happy about. This has certainly been an issue already, and I suspect that, although I have been avoiding it, I may need to apply to the Court of Protection in order to act as his Deputy, in order for my views to carry more weight in the future. (In theory this should make no difference - in practice it certainly can.) It seems that membership of this group on his behalf could be useful, but I’m not sure I want to intrude - after all, it’s not MY life - it’s HIS!
Any advice? Thanks.

Hi Esther,

My Life My Choice is a membership organisation for people with learning disabilities. We welcome anybody with a learning disability and make adjustments to include them, although in reality most of the people coming to our groups have a “mild” or “moderate” learning disability. Without knowing your son, I wouldn’t be able to say whether or not he would get something out of socialising with other people with learning disabilities in our groups.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t sound like we would be able to provide the support that you would need around acting as his advocate or deputy. If you’d like to be more specific in a less public place, you can email me at kate@mylifemychoice.org.uk. Otherwise, it might be that Oxfordshire Family Support Network may be able to help you further, as an organisation for families of people with learning disabilities.

I hope this helps!