Nottinghamshire County Council wants everyone in the county to be able to live in the place they call home, with the people and things that they love, and in communities where people look out for one another and do the things that matter to them. This vision was very much in line with Social Care Future’s.
To realise this vision, we partnered with the council, the coproduction group Our Voice, and people in the local community on a Big Conversation about social care.
Over February and March 2023, Community Catalysts, together with Our Voice, supported Nottinghamshire to have a ‘Big Conversation’, which involved asking people who use social care and their carers about the vision, the challenges, and what they want in the future.
People were invited to come along to one of 7 listening events, supported by senior council managers and elected members. People who were unable to attend events were asked to invite Community Catalysts to meet with their group, talk on the phone, or complete one of two online surveys – one for people with experience of social care and the other for family carers.
Together we ran 8 community events, held 11 meetings, and developed 2 online surveys for people who couldn’t engage in person. We asked people who use social care and their carers about the vision, the challenges, and what they want in the future.
“Bring people together with shared interests, not just shared disabilities and use community spaces to create a hub.”
We heard from 542 people; this included 277 unpaid carers and 265 people who draw on social care. People shared their experiences and ideas, their thanks and discontent, their hopes and dreams for the future. People were open and honest and trusted the process might help towards a better social care future. Despite many positives, it can’t always have been an easy listen for the council but listen they did – and for that we applaud them.
“I receive direct payments to pay a PA and several self-employed carers. This is great and gives me flexibility, however, when it comes to paperwork, audits, assessments, employment rights… I have to rely on a family member to manage this for me as it can be very confusing and time consuming.”
We compiled a report of the project which informed the creation of Nottinghamshire’s adult social care strategy.
Read more about The Big Conversation in Nottinghamshire on the council website. Email: workingtogether@nottscc.gov.uk.
The Big Conversation is an approach that supports people and organisations to have quality and insightful conversations with communities and groups to coproduce action plans for change. Find out more.