Adult Social Care Involvement Forum
Adult social care services in County Durham support people to live the life they want - at home and in their community.
As part of our vision, we want to ensure adults and their carers receive the care and support they need, when they need it. You can read more about our Adult Social Care Strategy here.
We want you to help us improve adult social care services for you and for others, now and in the future. We have created a forum to support this important improvement work.
We will share what we learn with senior colleagues so that you are a part of the decision making process.
Our Adult Social Care Involvement Forum
The Adult Social Care Involvement Forum will be a space where people can get involved and share their experiences.
If you join the forum, you get opportunities to:
- share your views regularly
- help shape plans and ideas through co-production projects
- give feedback on changes before decisions are made
- Find out what has happened when people have helped shape our services.
Being a member of the forum does not mean you have to do everything. You can take part in the ways that feel right for you, at a pace that works for you.
Who can get involved
Our Involvement Forum is for people who use or have used our adult social care services, or support someone who does.
You can take part if you are:
- someone who uses our adult social care
- someone who has used our adult social care services in the past
- an unpaid carer, family member, supporter or helper of someone who uses or has used our adult social care services
- Someone who connects their community with social care services
If you need a helper to assist you to take part in this forum, they can sign up on your behalf.
We want to work with people who understand the importance of good care and the difference it makes.
It does not matter how much or how little support you receive or have received. Every voice counts. Your experience matters.
How we will support you to take part
We will do our best to make it easy and comfortable for you to be involved. This will include:
- using clear, simple language
- offering different ways to take part (online, by phone or in person)
- making reasonable adjustments
- working at your pace
We’ll use a mix of online, email, phone and other contact options, so it’s easy to get involved. There will also be opportunities to get involved outside of normal office hours.
Being on the forum does not mean you have to do everything. You can take part in the ways that feel right for you, at a pace that works for you.
You can stop or step back at any time.
What you will do as part of this forum
The forum will be a space where people can get involved and share their experiences.
Being a part of our Involvement Forum means we can invite you to get involved when we want to speak with people who have lived experience of our services.
If you join the forum, you will get opportunities to:
- fill in short surveys
- share your views in a small group or meeting
- talk to us one to one
- help design or review services
- help us choose and train staff
You can be involved once, or on an ongoing basis – it’s up to you.
What will happen because of this forum
You are the expert in your own life. By sharing what works well and what could be better, you can help us:
- improve day‑to‑day services
- design new services and ideas
- make sure decisions are fair and realistic
- support people to live as independently as possible
We want to work with you, not make decisions without you.
We will share what we learn with senior colleagues so that you are a part of the decision making process.
One of our forum members has said:
‘I genuinely feel the forum can make a positive difference. I appreciate the commitment to a person centred approach being taken.’
Our Involvement Forum meetings will be hosted by Michael Laing, Director of Adult and Health Services at Durham County Council. In our Involvement Forum sessions, we will share stories and videos that show how people are helping to shape our adult social care services and plans.
How to join our Involvement Forum
To join our Involvement Forum, follow the link to the Welcome to our Adult Social Care Involvement Forum project to complete a brief initial survey and to sign up for Service User Forum meetings.
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