Our Team

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Richard Morris

Richard has worked across health and social care settings since 2002 and has been a registered Mental Health Nurse since 2005. He has extensive experience working across a range of community and inpatient services, including CAMHS, older persons services and complex mental health settings, alongside experience managing a variety of mental health teams and services.

Richard was an Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) between 2010 and 2017 and has worked as a Best Interest Assessor since 2011, undertaking Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards assessments for a number of Local Authorities. Through this work, he has developed extensive experience in Mental Capacity Act practice, deprivation of liberty, restrictive care arrangements, safeguarding and rights-based decision making across a wide range of health and social care environments.

Richard undertook the National Advocacy Qualification in 2021 and is an Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA). He is passionate about ensuring individuals’ voices, wishes and rights are properly heard, represented and upheld, particularly within complex and restrictive care situations.

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Leocardia Kyomugisha

Leocardia trained as a lawyer in Uganda and has extensive experience supporting individuals facing complex legal and social challenges. She previously worked for a law and advocacy organisation supporting women in Uganda, advocating for gender equality, promoting access to justice and supporting individuals experiencing significant social disadvantage.

Leocardia also founded the Prisoners Aid Project in Uganda, a charitable organisation established to support individuals who had been wrongfully imprisoned following miscarriages of justice. This work reflected her longstanding commitment to advocacy, human rights and ensuring vulnerable individuals have access to fair representation and support.

Since moving to the United Kingdom, Leocardia has worked across a range of health and social care settings, supporting diverse client groups with complex needs. She volunteered as a Paid Representative supporting individuals in care homes subject to Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and completed the National Advocacy Qualification in 2021 and is an Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA).

Leocardia has experience supporting individuals and families within civil and family law proceedings and remains passionate about rights-based advocacy, safeguarding and ensuring individuals’ voices, wishes and rights are properly represented and upheld.

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Debbie Ryding

Debbie holds a Masters Degree in Social Work and has pursued advanced training in mental health and capacity assessments, positioning herself as a leading expert in the intersection of Social Work and legal frameworks. With over eight years of experience, she has dedicated her career to empowering individuals and their families facing complex healthcare and educational decisions. As an independent Social Worker, she operates autonomously, offering a unique blend of empathy, expertise, and Advocacy. She is a qualified Best Interest Assessor and she is well versed in conducting thorough assessments, taking into account the unique needs and preferences of individuals who may lack mental capacity. She has undertaken extensive work with Parent Carer Alliances in both Local authority challenges via assessments and EHCP challenges. She has also dedicated her skills to addressing challenges related to Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCP). She has worked in advocacy since 2016 and has been a qualified Independent Mental Capacity Advocate and Care Act Advocate since 2019. She has taken a high number of cases to the Court of Protection supporting the voice of the individual.