Adult social care information and advice toolkit: Theme 1. Making it Real
Making It Real is a set of co-produced statements that describe what good care and support looks like. They are aligned to the Care Act and built into the CQC Single Assessment Framework. Given this, councils are advised to consider the ‘We’ statements carefully in developing their information and advice service.
Overview
Making It Real is a set of co-produced statements that describe what good care and support looks like. They are aligned to the Care Act and built into the CQC Single Assessment Framework. Given this, councils are advised to consider the ‘We’ statements carefully in developing their information and advice service.
The 13 ‘We’ statements about information and advice go beyond the legal requirements of the Care Act. For example, housing is mentioned twice: “We provide information and advice about health, social care and housing which is tailored to a person’s situation without limiting their options and choices” and “We provide information to make sure people know how to navigate the local health, care and housing system, including how to get more information or advice if needed”. In response to this,Improving your information base includes material covering information and advice about housing.
Under the ‘We’ statements below, you will find links to further toolkit themes supporting the statements alongside insights and quotations on challenges and opportunities from councils, people who draw upon care and support and unpaid carers on co-production and the statements themselves. These insights emerged from stories, online events and workshops convened by Curators of Change. Councils may wish to consider these learnings for co-producing information and advice offers more effectively with people, and to support learning and development around co-production more broadly.
Outdated directories and inaccurate information sources were major concerns for people. Participants stressed the importance of providing up-to-date and reliable information to prevent frustration and ensure that people can access the support that they need.
I’ve been given information that's years old, and by the time I find out, I’ve wasted so much time."
Signposting was identified as a significant pain point. Participants shared experiences of being referred to services without proper follow-up or guidance, leaving them feeling abandoned and unsupported. Conversations with participants revealed that there is a significant degree of frustration around how information and advice is provided and the confidence that workers have in the information and advice they are giving.
There is a tendency to offer information and advice, and then move people on, rather than a focus on how to make best use of the information and advice that has been provided.
The need for improved training for frontline staff was a significant theme. Participants advocated for training in digital communication, cultural sensitivity, and person-centred care to enhance the quality of interactions.
Staff need to be better trained to understand where we’re coming from and what we need."
Ensuring frontline workers are well-supported, confident in their decision-making, and equipped with the right tools and knowledge was deemed essential for improving care quality.
Those accessing information and advice services have individual needs and as such there is no one-size-fits-all approach.
Participants recommended keeping information and advice online simple and offering ‘human’ options – where to go to speak to someone face to face, or how to contact by phone or email, with clear guidance about what to expect in terms of a response.
A recurring theme was frustration felt by individuals who believed they were not truly heard by the system. Many participants reported having to repeatedly tell their stories without seeing meaningful change in response to their needs.
A particularly emphasised point was that information, advice or support should be provided from the point of individual engagement, be tailored to individual needs, and delivered from a place of good human connection and understanding. With openness, honesty and transparency and a commitment to work with people to ensure they get to the information, advice or support that suits their individual needs.
"When we're involved from the start, the services actually work for us. It's not rocket science – just ask us what we need."
Participants expressed frustration with the complexity and bureaucracy of the social care system, which often makes it difficult for people to navigate and access necessary services.
It is the logistical pain of our of our current systems and how they are, frankly impossible in my experience to navigate”
Some of those who took part mentioned being ‘lucky’ that they knew people who had worked in or knew the system and were able to support them through this navigation. At the same time, they recognised that this created a multi-tiered approach of those who can and cannot access the information and advice that they need.
There was a sentiment of a need to simplify systems – streamline processes to make them more accessible and user-friendly. Reducing complexity would facilitate better engagement and collaboration.
Participants thought a commitment to co-produce guidance around what people can expect when looking for information and advice would help those drawing on care and support.
Participants felt that empowering individuals with knowledge about their rights and options was crucial for self-advocacy and informed decision-making. Those living in the participating councils called for more accessible and comprehensive information to help them make informed choices about their care.
If I knew what my options were, I could make better decisions for myself."
Included in universal content
Participants felt that services frequently lacked a person-centred approach, resulting in solutions that did not cater to the specific needs and preferences of individuals. This then led to feelings of disconnect and dissatisfaction among those accessing the service.
There was a strong consensus on the need for care that is tailored to individual needs rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. Participants stressed the importance of considering cultural and personal contexts in service delivery.
What works for one person might not work for me. They need to understand that we're all different."
Participants recognised the importance of collaboration with community organisations and informal networks, which often have a deep understanding of local needs and resources. They thought that these relationships should be strengthened and utilised to improve service delivery.
The community knows what we need better than anyone. We should be working together, not in silos."
The important role that peer networks can play was also emphasised, recognising that those with lived experience can offer invaluable guidance and support to others. Participants advocated strongly for the integration of these networks into the wider care system as a way of providing impactful and relatable information and advice.
Talking to someone who's been through it is so much more helpful than just reading a leaflet."
While technology can enhance service delivery, participants felt it should not replace human interaction. Balancing technological solutions with personal engagement was seen as vital in meeting the nuanced needs of communities and ensuring a person-centred approach. It was felt that an overreliance on technology can act as a barrier to effective co-production.
I think the main thing that stood in mind for me is the right communication tools and accessible formats, telephone calls, and non-digital formats.”
There should be space for all options – online, telephone, text, email, face-to-face, to provide people with choice as to how they access information and advice. Maintaining and prioritising human connection in service delivery is crucial for effective care.
At the same time, those contributing their lived experience understood that there can be limitations for staff when working with existing platforms or applications. In these cases, bringing those who access care and support into the conversation was encouraged, to explore how we can best utilise existing technologies.
There was a call to strengthen local co-production, increasing community involvement in the process. Engaging local stakeholders, including individuals with lived experience, to shape and improve services was encouraged.
Empowering individuals with knowledge about their rights and options was a recurring theme throughout the sessions, enabling those drawing on care and support to make informed decisions.
Participants called for a move from a transactional model, to one that empowers and respects the individual as active participants in their care.
