Barnet Council provides adult social care support to more than 5,300 residents. The council has committed to investing £40m to open extra care homes over the next couple of years. The launch of the council’s new adult social care engagement and co-production strategy will ensure that everyone in the borough can have a say in how council services can be run best to meet the changing needs of people who draw on care and support and for those who give care to friends or relatives. The strategy and charter will be shaped from the beginning by people with lived experience of care and support.

Cllr Paul Edwards, Chair of the council’s Adults & Safeguarding Committee, said: “I’m delighted to be launching our new strategy and charter for engagement in adult social care. This will deliver on our manifesto commitment to involve people who access care in the continuous improvement of service delivery and to guarantee a strong voice for those who draw on adult social support.”

The council says putting ‘co-production’ at the heart of adult social care service decisions will give people many opportunities to get involved and have their say, from joining the council’s steering group, to taking part in events, focus groups, surveys and interviews. The council will be also working closely with voluntary and community groups to speak to people who to date have not been part of discussions.

The council will be getting advice and input from national and local experts in co-production, including Inclusion Barnet.

Adult social care is one of Barnet’s largest sectors, annually worth £300m to the local economy and employs 10,000 people. The borough has more than 80 registered care homes and 70 registered home care agencies.

For more information on getting involved and having your say on Barnet Council’s adult social care, please get in touch by emailing [email protected]External link or calling 0208 359 5698.