An advocate provides support to anyone who finds it difficult to have their views heard. They offer time and effort, help them express their desires, make informed choices and gain greater control of their lives. It may help to understand the role of an advocate in the following terms: Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay A supporter can: help children and young people with learning disabilities to get involved and understand the processes or decisions that are being made, to think about their options and say what they want to ask questions on behalf of a child or a young person with a disability ensure that the voice of the child or young person with a disability is heard and responded to to work to make things happen and change by asking the right questions and finding information to help children and young people young people to make choices and have greater control over their lives. An advocate does not: break confidentiality without reason become an arbiter in a dispute or discussion tell them what is best for the child or young person or tell them what to do to persuade a child or young person to agree with others, take away controlling the child or adolescent or withholding information from them. Children and adolescents with disabilities can benefit from advocacy support for several reasons. They may need help at particular times in their lives, such as transitioning from school and from children's to adult health and social services. They may have difficulties in a range of settings, such as at school, hospital or a youth club, and have no one to talk to and help them resolve them. They may need support when decisions are being made about their life, such as planning meetings or annual reviews. Very often, parents and carers are the first and strongest supporters a child or young person will have. Their social worker, support worker, teacher or assistant will also act as supporters. Having an independent advocate, someone from an agency that is not directly involved in their care and education, can help ensure that the child or young person's distinct voice is heard and valued. Supporters form a partnership with a child or young person. They establish the communication methods they use and begin to learn about them. They learn how they prefer to communicate, the things that matter to them, as well as their likes and dislikes. Augmentative and alternative communication methods: can be unaided or assisted, using objects or devices. Examples of unaided communication methods include gestures, facial expressions, vocalizations, speech, and sign language (such as American Sign Language). Examples of forms of assisted communication include the following: using a real object to convey meaning; for example, your child handing you a cup to let you know he or she is thirsty Pointing to symbols, such as pictures or textures on a communication board or in a book Activating a device; for example, your child presses a switch or button on a registered voice device, initiating auditory output that says, "I'm thirsty." Like a communication board, a communication book has selected symbols that your child can point to to convey their message. The book can be organized so that the first page contains broad categories, such as emotions, foods, and people. Once your child chooses a category, the person they're talking to moves to a page that offers more specific choices within that category. Keyboards: your child.