Carers Week is an annual awareness campaign to celebrate and recognise the vital contribution made by the UK’s 6.5 million carers. The theme for 2022 is ‘Make caring visible, valued and supported’. We believe that people receiving care, unpaid carers and the challenges of caring should be recognised in all areas of life. Caring should be valued and respected by everyone in our society, and people receiving care and carers should have access to the information and support they need, where and when they need it.
Independent advocacy can support people receiving care and unpaid carers by protecting their right to a voice, addressing barriers and imbalances of power, and ensuring that their human rights are recognised, respected, and secured.
In 2011, we published a short ‘Guide to Independent Advocacy for Families and Carers’ to facilitate information on how independent advocacy can support carers.
Several SIAA members provide independent advocacy to carers across Scotland. You can find their details below:
- Advocacy North East (Aberdeenshire)
- Advocacy Service Aberdeen
- Advocacy Shetland
- Advocacy Western Isles
- Dumfries and Galloway Advocacy Service
- Edinburgh Carers Council
- Independent Advocacy Perth & Kinross
- Mental Health Advocacy Project
To find your nearest independent advocacy organisation, please visit our ‘Find an advocate’ section.