The purpose of this assignment is to define the concept of advocacy, power, oppression and agency in society. The context I’ve chosen to discuss it in is the health and social care sector .In the last two years there has been major changes in these settings due to the change of social and health legislation in Wales that came into place in April 2016, when the social services and well being act 2014 and Care Act 2014 was placed in to action to ensure everyone is starting to or already receiving person centered care and support, which they have selected or had input into choosing.

Advocacy has been put into place to benefit individuals or groups, who are unable to represent themselves or lack the confidence to represent them selves. To ensure their personal requests are met without being given misled or given incorrect information. The individual may be unable to represent their selves due to various reasons such as disability, age , gender , race , ill health or even factors such as trauma or fear , some may also be lacking confidence to speak up or not aware of their rights. By advocating you are given the client or your self .The power to speak up and try have their or your own views and needs met. By speaking up and challenging services for the client or for ones self and empowering individuality and confronting potential problems.

Advocates also challenge oppression faced in modern society which effects some of society’s most vulnerable social groups such as: the elderly, mental health patients, terminally ill, children and care leavers.

These complex needs individuals are receiving high levels of abuse from many of their support systems such as: care assistants, support workers, nurses and social workers.

Many clients are not aware or have a understanding of what rights are available and are given misleading, biased or not receiving any information regarding rights available. Due to the high level of professionals wrongly assessing clients, by not letting clients have much control or information in suitable options or failing to promote individual choices such as accommodation preferences or inputting in their own support plan. Misinformation may also be given due to professionals not having training and being up to date on new legislation or laws, and therefore cannot give out the correct information to individuals.

In 2014 the social Services and well being act 2014 and Care Act 2014 came into place. Within these Acts the needs for advocates was added to benefit and represent vulnerable clients which included Children, Elderly, mental health patients and terminally ill clients.

Advocating these social groups making clients aware and fully understand their personal rights. They would also present client opinions so their now taking control and facilitate being pro active with their individual care plan/support plan requirement or personal well being. The care act 2014 also added that if a client was lacking an independent advocate, the client would have considerable disadvantage in being involved in their individual support plans. The Advocates representing the client would also need to be DBS checked, as a requirement of working for local authorities to further protect and safeguard the vulnerable clients.

Oppression

By being oppressed and discriminated against you may not be receiving the same opportunities and rights as other citizens. You may be subjected to oppression due to your religion, race, age or gender.

Thompson 1955, p. 40 describes oppression as:

‘In humane or degrading treatment of individuals or groups; hardship and injustice brought about by the dominance of one group over another; the negative and demanding exercise of power’

Freire suggested that if oppressed groups took control of their own lives the professionals would no longer oppress.

Freire also describes ‘the oppressed’ as being dehumanized by others and one’s self ,this happens due to lack of confidence from being discriminated, exploited and treated with injustice. Vulnerable are more prone to being Dehumanized as of already lacking the free will others citizens receive, there are certain boundaries or issues preventing them receiving their full potential such as money, poverty or political leadership.

Before an individual can gain humanization, the individual must feel empowerment and identity to take controls of one's life to promote inclusion in their selves or others. It is healthy form of mind-set and well being promoting agency and self-advocacy ,encouraging positive attitudes and encouraging to feel empathy for one another.

Power

Sociologists, John Kp.French and Betram Raven (1959) researched and wrote a article about five stages of power in society. Robert s Feldman researched and agreed with French and Ravens five stages, and added an additional level of power, totalling six levels which are:

1. Reward power meaning the authoritative figure will give out rewards or promises for acting a certain way for instance pay raises, promotions. So you would be encouraged to conform to their views.

2. Legitimate power states the authoritative has a high viewed role in society suchlike doctors, Social workers, MP. Therefore due to their title you would be more likely to take in their command or advice.

3. Referent Power meaning the power comes from the person appeal for example celebrities endorsing certain political parties or products.

4. Coercive power is power made by threats or punishment such as fines, prison sentences.

5. Expert power is the knowledge and skills the authoritative would possess this would include roles of specialist doctors, scientists.

6. Informational Power which meant the authoritative would possess or have controlled information not accessible to all or that other desired examples of this would be confidential information, credit reports, Addresses.

Social services are seen to have a high Power role which would fall under legitimate power, expert, informational and even coercive power .Which can be intimidating for clients young and elderly even if they have not done anything wrong, and within the care act and updated social work training, there are now safeguarding policies to help stop social workers misusing their role of power and promoting independent thinking for clients through their selves or an advocate.

Advocating and representing these groups is necessary and a positive form of empowerment to the individual involved, as clients are getting the correct individual information which is relevant to them, and giving the individual the confidence to voice their concerns or opinions.

Freire also stated the professionals would require an ethical movement closer to equality to empower clients.

Agency

In the dictionary of social science agency is described as the independent need or view for social action. It can also be viewed as a sign of empowerment of ones individual opinions.

Having an agency can be beneficial for individuals to express one view and individuality, and which is relevant to them and is created by their: status, gender, nationality, religion or marital status.

This then structures your opinions and views .Sociologists believe are formed by three levels: micro levels, Meso levels and macro level views.

Micro structure views (also known as micro-sociology) and behaviors are formed by social interactions and bonds formed, through intermediate interactions and observations such as with a partner, siblings or parents.

Meso level (also known as Mesosociology) views are interactions and behaviors formed within a larger scale such as gender, race , job status and the cultural norms within the community or neighborhood you are likely to mirror or follow..

Macro levels (also known as macro-sociology) are the views of larger scale factors which effect behaviors and views such as policies or laws which can cause conformity, or nationality and religion.

Conclusion

It is proven if there is a positive movement of power and agency in an individual. It will have an advantage on the individual’s ability to make a empowering decision for ones self. Due to many negative social factors such as discrimination, dehumanization and oppression. Many clients are failing to have their individual needs and preferences met .But with empowerment to aim for humanization, or self advocating, or making choices through an advocate.

More clients will be receiving individual care preferences and suitable choices to suit their own need. Clients will not be having these decisions made for them, by professionals if they do not have the mental capacity to make them. This is due to the changes of the social Services and wellbeing act 2014 and Care Act 2014, stating the right for a advocate to represent clients if their unable to represent their selves.

Reference List

Freire. P – Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1972)

Castro, Saul A, Zautra, Alex J. Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology, 2016, Vol.36 (2), p.64-81

Thompson. N – Anti discriminatory practice (1955) p.40

Musolf.G - Structure and agency in everyday life : an introduction to social psychology

Social services and well being act, 2014 ,section 182

Wright Mills. C- The social imagination (2006)

Care act 2014 section 23- 3f, section 8E.

Thompson.N -The professional social worker: meeting the challenge (1955