SIAS is dedicated to offering an advocacy service for adults with mental health difficulties and has been developed as one way of challenging the discrimination faced by users of the mental health system.

In simple terms terms, advocacy means taking action to help people say what they want to say, secure their rights, represent their interests and to obtain the services and/or information that they desire, in order to meet their needs.

Advocates work in partnership with the adults they support and, at the client’s request, take their views, wishes and concerns forward to achieve the outcomes that the client desires; whilst promoting social inclusion, equality and social justice.

Adults who are already experiencing discrimination and exclusion on the basis of their ethnic or cultural background, physical disability, gender, sexuality or age - having a mental health problem creates yet another barrier to social inclusion.

Advocacy is a process of supporting and empowering adults with mental health difficulties to:

Express their views, wishes and concerns.

Access applicable information and services.

Promote and defend their rights.

Explore choices, preferences and options.

SIAS advocates are independent and represent clients without personal judgment and undergo extensive and on-going training and supervision.

Advocates can assist with benefit claims, finding housing or accessing community care services.

They support clients through many processes including Children and Families, Bereavements, Divorce and Court Appearances.

They might also help with finding out about employment, education or leisure opportunities within their area.

Advocates inform clients about their legal rights, medication, hospital care plans, discharge plans, preparation for Mental Health Review Tribunals and other meetings.

Day-to-day support is offered.

For example, making staff aware of any concerns or supporting a client through a complaints procedure or ensuring that their discharge plan is in place, agreed with the client and then fulfilled.

Professional Advocates work to support people to represent the client’s interests, choices and views, if the client is unable to do so for themselves.

This service can be provided by a paid or unpaid Advocate and includes support on specific issues and provision of information, but NOT legal advice, either short or long-term.

Advocates will often work alongside Mental Health Act and Community Act Lawyers.

Potential and existing users can contact SIAS direct (self-referral) or be referred by third parties (ie Medics, Police, Social Services, GP surgeries, Legal bodies etc), and by word-of-mouth between the clients themselves and/or their families or friends.

All services are free at the point of delivery to everyone, regardless of status. 

SIAS is truly independent from any Primary Care Trust (PCT) or local authority and it offers users confidentiality.

It provides a flexible, non-time constraint approach to user’s individual mental health needs, which is unique in the County of Shropshire and the Borough of Telford & Wrekin. 

There are outreach teams who can cover the entire geographical area of the County of Shropshire and the Borough of Telford & Wrekin.

In-house consultancy rooms are available for users who would rather visit the offices. 

Staffed by qualified and empathic advocates, with the ability to signpost when necessary and who have excellent knowledge at navigating through the system.

The team can offer a vast range of knowledge and experience (ie: neurotic/ psychotic medical knowledge, to substance abuse and any other forms of abuse through to navigating the various services such as housing, benefits, unemployment etc).

SIAS was developed by users for users, thus ensuring a user-led, user-focused and user-friendly service.

Consultation with and input from users has helped the organisation to grow, an ethos that will continue in the future.

Users value the confidentiality that SIAS offers and which underpins its independence. 

The service targets a niche segment (mental health) rather than a broader sector, which has created a highly specialised team knowledgeable in their respective fields.

Local people run and work within the organisation that is geared specifically for the local community.

SIAS has fulfilled a desperate need for such an advocacy service and because of its independent nature, it has been well received by users especially those who do not wish to be stigmatised further by the situation that they find themselves in.