The Cornerstones event also involved all partners focusing on the presentation and activities to reflect upon their understanding of co-production. Participants were asked to generate words and statements they would wish to be included in a shared understanding of co-production for Devon.
Alongside this, some groups discussed co-production generally and raised the following questions:
- Where and who do we need to embed co-production with?
- How do you know the co-production is genuine? What is the local area view?
- How do we ensure that children understand their role in co-production so that they do not just do what their parents want.
- A better online way of working would be helpful in including everybody.
The words and statements generated by the participants are listed below, grouped into connected ideas (duplicated or very similar words and statements are only included once).
Please note that asterisks identify particular words and statements that were agreed by several partners in the room:
What is important to Devon in co-production?
- Making sure everyone has a voice and feels valued, fully involved and included as an equal partner, wherever in Devon they live. Power imbalances are considered so there is better equity, which enables working in harmony, so that people feel they can genuinely contribute. Asking the person wearing the shoes helps achieve empowerment. ***********
- Active listening (“listen to me”; “listen, listen, listen”)******* – but you don’t have to agree; challenge if you need to.
- Building relationships and (natural) communication to create TRUST – small things making a big impact.****
- Respecting the other person’s situation and understanding their perspective. Being transparent, open-minded and flexible.***
- Involving people and co-producing from the start** – putting the scaffolding in place.*
- Ensuring co-production is not tokenistic/lip-service. It should be a true partnership putting the child and family at the heart. Find ways to make sure the child is in the room.**
- Those who are specialists, for example caseworkers, holding the knowledge, for example about transitions, EOTAS, EHE, HE, personal budgets, so that parents do not need to become experts in these things.**
- Empathy – seeing (noticing), acknowledging that people may have different levels of empathy, and constraints – ‘double empathy!’ *
- Acceptance that you don’t know everything, or every angle of what others are going through. Trying to understand the lives of other people, children and families.*
- Working as a team. Everyone together.* Cooperation. (Not having to battle)
- Taking people’s views into account when making decisions that affect them. Believing parents are the experts on their child. *
- Recognising the role of parent carers as themselves.* (I am wearing a label that says parent carer. Everyone assumes I am part of PCFD).*
- Stopping making everything a battle, for example forcing parents to go to appeal.*
- There is a clear, shared purpose/instruction based on where partners want to get to, and how (identify their needs). Changing systems and processes together. Genuine intent followed by purposeful action.*
- Understanding social constructs, which helps challenge potential unconscious bias, negative judgements, prejudices or perceptions that we might have.
- Giving the gift of time.
- Explaining things better (including for neurodivergent CYP and parent carers) and going at the right pace/level. Meeting young people where they are. Not rushing in, it is important to be real; authentic.
- Reflection.
- Connecting. Meaningful engagement.
- Developing services, resources, future plans collaboratively between those who have a lived/living experience and the professionals who have a duty to deliver and commission care in Devon.
- Understanding we all have an equal stake in the process.
- The PCF being an active partner (I heard that PCFs are the only way to get parent carer voices heard. I don’t know ours at all).
- Hope and positivity. Fun!
- Being creative – not giving up (showing resilience and commitment); breaking the rules for the greater good.
- Investing resources.