Our Co-Production Charter for Wandsworth Council Adult Social Care
Read about the creation of our Co-Production Charter for Wandsworth Council Adult Social Care
At Wandsworth Care Alliance (WCA) / Healthwatch Wandsworth we have been working with Wandsworth Council to improve the way in which residents’ voices are heard in the design, delivery and deployment of adult social services.
We have worked with residents and organisations to create this charter which you can find below
Wandsworth Council Adult Social Care Co-Production Charter
What is co-production?
Co-production is a way of working in which people share power as equals to make decisions or create services that work for them all.
Our Culture
Our Commitment to Accessibility
- Clarity First: All co-production information and language will be easy to understand, with jargon avoided.
- Early Planning: We will proactively plan and budget for participation, ensuring people are involved from the earliest possible stage.
- Promoting Opportunities: We will actively promote our co-production opportunities and clearly outline our priorities to relevant residents, service users, and carers.
- Flexible Access: We will use Equality Impact Needs Assessments (EINAs) to ensure co-production meets the access needs of specific groups, remaining flexible and responsive to individual requests
Our Commitment to Power Sharing
- Minimising Imbalances: We will take active steps to minimise power imbalances between the Council and people who use services and carers, working to create the most equal partnership possible.
- Targeted Inclusion: We will make particular efforts to ensure that people from seldom heard and underrepresented groups can fully participate in our work.
- Clear Expectations: We will be clear about what can and cannot be achieved within each co-production opportunity.
- Transparency on Limits: When factors like funding, staffing, timing, or resources create limitations, we will be transparent about how this will impact the scope of co-production.
Our Commitment to Recognise Everyone’s Expertise
- Valuing Lived Experience: We recognize that people who use services, their families, and carers hold invaluable knowledge and experience crucial for improving services for themselves and others.
- Embracing Diversity: We recognize the importance of diversity and difference of opinion, as well as the various ways people can contribute to conversations or projects.
Our Practice
Our Commitment to Training and Support
- Staff Development: We will work towards providing staff with the training, support, and resources required to co-produce effectively.
- Partner Empowerment: We will work towards providing service users and carers with the support and training they need to take part effectively, ensuring training is available in various formats that cater to accessibility needs.
- Defined Roles: We will provide people who participate with clear roles that define expectations and involvement.
- Safety and Care: We will keep people involved safe and work in trauma-informed ways to support them.
Our Commitment to Community Work
- Network Building: We will work towards building a strong network with existing community assets (e.g., faith groups, schools, community centres, peer support volunteers) which already bring people together.
- Travel Assistance: We will aim to support people with necessary travel arrangements if their needs require supported travel.
Our Review
Our Commitment to Monitoring and Feedback
- Closing the Loop: We will record and celebrate contributions, providing feedback on the results of involvement, including changes made, final decisions, and clear reasons for what has not changed.
- Feedback Delivery: We will provide direct feedback to all people who take part in co-produced activities about the results of their input.
- Annual Reporting: We will produce an annual Adult Social Care Engagement Report to evidence the difference that involving people has made.
- Charter Review: We will review this Co-Production Charter annually to determine its effectiveness and assess if any amendments are needed.
What's next?
The Charter is now seeking to be formally agreed and adopted by Wandsworth Council.
Moving forward we will be working with Wandsworth Adult Social Care Co-Production Group and Wandsworth Council to discuss how the Charter can be embedded in Council projects and activities.
