SCIE Research briefing 31: Co-production: an emerging evidence base for adult social care transformation

The term ‘co-production’ is increasingly being applied to new types of public service delivery in the UK, including new approaches to adult social care. It refers to active input by the people who use services, as well as – or instead of – those who have traditionally provided them. So it contrasts with approaches that treat people as passive recipients of services designed and delivered by someone else. It emphasises that the people who use services have assets which can help to improve those services, rather than simply needs which must be met. These assets are not usually financial, but rather are the skills, expertise and mutual support that service users can contribute to effective public services. In the words of Cummins and Miller, co-production is about how services ‘work with rather than do unto users’. (6) Co-production has been the focus of much recent attention, within both public policy and practice. It relates to the generation of social capital – the reciprocal relationships that build trust, peer support and social activism within communities. Co-production is also being used as a way of talking about participation and community involvement in social care services in the context of personalisation. The Putting people first concordat asserts that the transformation of adult social care programmes ‘seeks to be the first public service reform programme which is co-produced, co-developed, co-evaluated and recognises that real change will only be achieved through the participation of users and carers at every stage’. (1) This applies to adult social care service providers from all sectors. In proposals for new ways of organising and delivering social care services, people who use services have suggested that ‘service user controlled organisations can be a site where social workers are employed working alongside service users in a hands on way’. (7) This encapsulates the essence of co-production in adult social care. Given its increased profile, it is important to clarify definitions of co-production and assess its impact. Although there are no large-scale evaluation initiatives, a number of reports (from academics, policy organisations and practitioner groups) offer theoretical refinement and evaluation of practice examples, which together give some indication of the potential for co-production to be developed within adult social care. The reports also highlight potential concerns and limitations which need to be addressed when considering co-production as a way of transforming public service development and delivery, particularly in relation to adult social care.