Surrey Adults Matter
Information about Surrey Adults Matter (SAM) and how to get support.
Last reviewed 11 October 2024.
Learn what Surrey Adults Matter (SAM) is and how you can get support on this page.
Contents
The context: multiple disadvantage
Adults with severe multiple disadvantage will experience a combination of the following difficulties: homelessness or at risk of homelessness, mental ill health, drug and/or alcohol misuse, domestic abuse, and offending behaviour. These difficulties will often be compounded by long-term experiences of deprivation, trauma and abuse. Although likely to be known to numerous services, individuals will often fall through the gaps between services and systems or are unable to access support at all due to their complex needs, making it harder for them to address their problems and lead fulfilling lives.
Surrey Adults Matter: the aim
Surrey has joined the Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) Network to improve the lives of adults with severe multiple disadvantage. MEAM supports local areas across the country to transform services and systems and to directly improve the lives of people facing multiple disadvantage. A short video has been made explaining MEAM and more information on MEAM approach is also available.
Surrey Adults Matter (SAM) is Surrey's brand for the MEAM approach and is a feature within priority 1 of the Health and Wellbeing Board. The SAM Steering Group is the second line of strategic governance which feeds into this and below that, 4 designated Quadrant Panels will look at local issues and referrals into SAM. The Steering Group and Quadrant Panels include key partners and services in Surrey.
The aim is to design and deliver better coordinated services for people facing multiple disadvantage, facilitating a shift to crisis prevention for those with complex needs who are often hard to reach. The aim is to look at how things are operating at individual, system and service level, with a view to improving outcomes.
The programme
The SAM Team liaises with partners across the system such as housing services, police, health and social care, probation and the charity and voluntary sector. Through a Team around the Person process, a multi-agency group of professionals will regularly meet with the client or their chosen advocate, to look at what is going well, what is not going so well, what needs to change or improve and to form an action plan together. The accumulative data around clients being supported, will assist in future commissioning and service delivery at both local level and through central government.
SAM clients are also able to access a trauma informed outreach service, Bridge the Gap, which is delivered in partnership with our alliance providers across Surrey. Professionals responsible for care pathways retain their involvement and responsibilities but work together in a more coordinated way, with the client at the heart of the process.
Outcomes
Since inception in April 2020, SAM has worked with over 180 clients and consistently receives new referrals. Through SAM, individuals have achieved positive outcomes such as reducing offending behaviour; accessing supported housing; being alcohol and drug free and actively participating with support services. SAM has also helped to shape services for future clients by realising system shortfalls, finding flexible ways to work with services and adjusting ways of working, and collaboratively supporting individuals so they don't fall through the gaps in the system.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, homeless cabins were set up throughout Surrey to support those who were homeless with somewhere safe to stay; integrated with SAM's work in Surrey.
Referrals
Any professional can refer a client to Surrey Adults Matter, if they feel they would benefit from the support.
For more information or to make a referral please email SAM.referrals@surreycc.gov.uk