Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) and Think Local Act Personal (TLAP) publish learnings from phase one of the Community of Practice (CoP) established to support the development of co-operatives and community businesses in the area of home care.
The report introduces the CoP and highlights the conditions needed to support the development of alternative care models.
Key points:
- Development of co-operatives and community businesses needs to form part of an overall strategic approach for commissioning to improve the range and quality of care and support
- Progress of co-operatives and community businesses is significantly dependent on the extent to which personalisation is working well
- Alignment with wider council priorities can act both as a catalyst and source of necessary support for co-operatives and community businesses
It has been very insightful to experience first hand the challenges and opportunities that commissioners face when trying to commission things differently. Care co-operatives and community businesses have real potential to contribute to the shift towards more personalised and community-based forms of support that we all want to see. I am looking forward to phase two of the Community of Practice which will focus on lifting the idea off the page.
Tim Parkin
Head of Policy at TLAP, Author of ‘Putting community and cooperation into care and support’
The CoP has been set up with funding and support from Power to Change in association with Co-operatives UK.
