A MUM who was her children’s carer turned her personal experiences of not being listened to when it came to their needs into a professional career of advocating for others.
Diane Williams works for voice and rights charity VoiceAbility’s Dudley team, a calling she found after being her own children’s advocate.
Her three children, who are now adults, live with additional needs, with Diane saying at times she felt like she was “in a bubble” as their carer because “nobody was listening”.
“My daughter has learning disabilities and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), while my twin sons also have ASD, and one of them now struggles with refractory epilepsy,” she said. “Since they were young, professionals often did not listen to me regarding my children’s needs and concerns about their development.
“As they grew older, those professionals did not listen to my children either.
“I served as their voice when they were unable to find theirs.
“Throughout their childhood, we faced numerous challenges related to mental health, proper support from services, and a significant lack of support for our family as a whole.”
Using these struggles as motivation, Diane, who is from Stourbridge, started volunteering as a voluntary advocate for others at a charity.
She then trained and became a Care Act advocate in 2020 to support people who need support with issues that fall under the remit of the Care Act and joined VoiceAbility in 2022.
She also specialises in safeguarding issues and supporting people in the borough who have their freedoms restricted or denied in places like care homes and hospitals.
VoiceAbility offers free, independent support for people who need guidance in decisions involving their health and wellbeing and challenging things they do not agree with regarding their care.
Its advocates are independent trained professionals who help people to know their rights and ensure their voices are heard.
The 54-year-old said: “One day I decided I needed to do something for me, to be able to get my voice out there, which in turn will help my children and others.”
She added: “I help people find their voice and challenge services whenever possible, which has sometimes been difficult as a parent since I often felt unheard.
“I love my role. I do it because a lot of people out there are not being heard.
“Systems are failing people, and some professionals in health and social care aren’t listening.
“As an advocate, it’s about being on the side of the person. But I say to my clients, ‘I’m not here to tell you what to do, I’m here to give you choices so you can make your own decisions’.”
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