A carer’s view. Co-production in action in Oxfordshire County Council

By Kathy Liddell. Family Carer to a 21 year old daughter with a Learning Disability and Autism

SCIE has been working with Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) to support them to understand and develop co-production.

As a family carer of a daughter with a learning disability and autism, I found moving into adult social care from children’s services a daunting and worrying time.  It is a complex system with so many changes and without the right support and information as a family carer you can be left feeling confused and unsupported not knowing where or who to turn to or what to do next. 

When the opportunity to be part of the Moving Into Adulthood Service came up I was keen to be involved.  By using my own experience and that of other families I know,  I hope to help change the way things are done in the future; to make it easier for families to know what moving in to adult hood actually means for their family member; who they can turn to  for the right help and support; where to get the right information and to ensure that family carers are involved every step of the way – all whilst ensuring that the person using the service is at the centre of any decision. 

The opportunity to sit round the table with the people who organise, deliver and use the services, means that family carers like myself and the people we care for have a real say in the way that services are shaped and delivered. We are able to share our own personal experiences of what does and does not work. 

What has been clear is that everyone sitting round the table wants to see a change for the better. I think working together at this level has provided a unique opportunity to make a real difference to everyone involved. 

The fact that the lead for working together is coming from the Head of Adult Social Care means that the need for change is been taken seriously. As a result I hope that those families who will soon be embarking on the Moving into Adulthood Journey will, as a result of this change in approach, have a smooth and positive experience.