Think Local Act Personal (TLAP) and the National Co-production Advisory Group (NCAG) are working with the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) to develop their new vision for co-production, setting out clear ambitions for how people across the organisation work alongside people with lived experience. This collaborative project will produce a living and breathing plan – one that highlights good practice, identifies key values, and provides practical steps for embedding co-production into ADASS’s work every day.
Why this work is important
When co-production works well, people who draw on care and support – as well as carers – are recognised as equal partners in decision-making. This helps make social care more responsive, effective, and person-centred. By strengthening co-production, this project has the potential to make a real difference in social care policy and practice.
To create accountability and drive change, the vision will set out goals and aspirations to truly embed co-production in the culture and structures in the ADASS national team.
By modelling good practice and investing in this work, ADASS aims to demonstrate how co-production can be embedded in social care leadership, encouraging wider culture change across the sector.
How the project is working
The development of the vision and plan is being co-produced at every stage. Two project groups have been set up, ensuring people with lived experience are directly involved alongside the ADASS President and senior leaders:
- A strategic group to explore what the vision document should include.
- A task and finish group focused on creating a dynamic and interactive final document.
Taking each area of ADASS’s work, the project is exploring:
- Where things stand now – current approaches to co-production.
- What the ambition is – the future ADASS wants to work towards.
- How to get there – identifying key steps to reach this goal.
Building a meaningful and lasting approach to co-production
To make the vision as effective as possible, the project involves a wide range of stakeholders and uses a variety of engagement methods, including digital tools and surveys. Staff across ADASS have been encouraged to share their thoughts through a team survey and a dedicated ‘burning questions’ session—a chance to air honest reflections and ask key questions, helping to identify current barriers, challenges, and opportunities for embedding co-production.
Importantly, this work isn’t just about producing a document—it’s about demonstrating real change. The project is tracking how co-production influences decision-making within ADASS, gathering evidence of where practice is improving and highlighting areas for further development.
The final vision and plan for co-production will be unveiled in Spring 2025.
A wider commitment to co-production
This project is part of a broader collaboration between ADASS and TLAP to embed co-production in key areas of ADASS’s work. Alongside the vision, the partnership is supporting:
- The development of co-produced events, ensuring people with lived experience play a meaningful role in national discussions.
- Co-producing policy work, particularly aligned to the government priority of care closer to home.
- Expanding access to co-production tools and resources through TLAP’s expertise.
This builds on successful work to make the National Children and Adult Services Conference (NCASC) more inclusive—giving people with lived experience a more prominent role in plenary sessions, co-designing workshops, and creating dedicated spaces for co-production discussions.
Find out more
To learn more about this project, keep an eye on our social media and mailing list for future updates.
