The advocate directory

The advocate directory is where families discover you. Understanding how it works helps you present yourself effectively and attract the families you are best placed to support.

How families search

Families can filter the directory by:

• Location: county or region
• Specialism: areas of focus (autism, tribunal, post-16, etc.)
• Availability: currently accepting new families
• Type: individual advocate or organisation

Search results show your name, location, headline description, specialism tags, availability status, and, if you have received any, a summary of family reviews.

What affects your ranking

The directory does not operate a simple paid ranking. Visibility is based on:

• Availability: advocates marked as available appear higher than those at capacity
• Profile completeness: a fully completed profile ranks above a partial one
• Specialism match: if a family searches for an autism specialist, advocates with autism listed appear first
• Recency: recently active profiles are surfaced above dormant ones

Optimising your profile

To get the most relevant enquiries:

• Set specialism tags accurately: only select areas where you have genuine experience. Over-tagging dilutes your relevance.
• Keep availability current: immediately update when you become available or reach capacity. This single factor has the largest effect on enquiry volume.
• Write for families, not professionals: your About you text should speak directly to a parent who is exhausted and uncertain. Avoid acronyms and bureaucratic language.
• Add a photo: profiles with photos get significantly more enquiries.

Reviews

After a support relationship closes, families are invited to leave a review. Reviews are voluntary and moderated. You cannot remove a review, but you can respond to it through the platform. Reviews are visible to all families searching the directory.