RESIDENTS are being invited to work with the council to create tailored services for families who use adult social care, councillors have announced.
This week marks the Social Care Institute for Excellence’s (SCIE) nationwide ‘co-production week’, which highlights the important conversations being had to create services.
The council has invested in this principle through the Working Together group and has pledged to ‘work in partnership with people who are experts by their experience’ through accessing services from the council.
As residents are best placed to speak about their needs, they can make suggestions, point out gaps and areas requiring improvement, leading to services aligning with what residents want and need.
Residents will also be able to learn new skills and access training which could benefit them in their day-to-day and future in volunteering or jobs.
If required, support will be provided to assist residents who may need extra help to attend.
Councillor Paul Gittings, Lead Member for Adult Social Care, said: “Companies call in consultants as experts all the time. We are calling on our experts, our residents, to advise us.
“Our residents are the ones whose lives are shaped by our services. Who’s best to talk to about how our services impact their lives and make them feel? Who’s best to tell us where things need to change for the better of their lives and those in the future?
“Working Together is the vehicle to jointly create services which is called co-production in the Adult Social Care sphere.
“They will be directly influencing what the council’s priorities are and therefore how things are done.”
Those interested in taking part can contact: Working.Together@reading.gov.uk
You can also find out more by attending an information session in the Council Chamber of the Civic Centre, on Bridge Street, on Wednesday, July 2 between 2pm and 4pm.
