How you can Have Your Say

A key aspect of participation is co-production which is a way of working based on equal partnerships between people who use services, carers and professionals. It is about people working together so that we move away from ‘doing to’ people to an approach that is ‘doing with’.

Co-production means working with carers to:

• Influence the way that services are designed, commissioned, and delivered.
• Involving carers as equal partners from the start to the end of any project that affects them and those they care for.
• Monitor, review and evaluate projects.

It is important to note that co-production is one aspect of participation which also consists of the following:

• Consultation – carers may be asked to fill in surveys or attend meetings to feedback on the development of services and strategies, for example if they do not have the power to influence or affect change.
• Informing – service providers inform people about the services and explain how they work. This may include telling people what decisions have been made and why.
• Educating – Carers are helped to understand the service design and delivery so that they gain relevant knowledge about it.

When promoting opportunities the Carer Engagement Team will make clear the level of participation and the potential to influence that is possible with any engagement opportunity.

Participating in engagement also benefits carers as it provides a chance to:

• Learn new skills or develop existing ones.
• Work with a range of people from differing backgrounds or with various expertise.
• Share lived experiences to the benefit of communities across Hertfordshire.

And finally, we believe that those who use a service are best placed to help design it!

This video, produced by Think Local Act Personal (TLAP), explains the different types of participation – also known as ‘The Ladder of Co-Production’.