A SERIES of events and workshops for the community goes online this week with the aim of encouraging closer working relationships with people who receive adult care and support as part of Co-production week.

The event, which was originally planned as a festival on July 7, is now being marked online with a varied programme of events throughout this week, based on the theme of collaboration in the time of crisis’. The council has collaborated with different organisations both in Oxfordshire and nationally to put together a schedule of events and online workshops.

Jo Barnicoat, parent of a young adult with severe learning difficulties and autism, is working with the council as co-chair of the Oxfordshire’s team-up co-production board.

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She said: “The board is excited to be working to bring together both those that need to use the services of social care alongside those that provide the service in an open and transparent manner to achieve the best outcomes for the most vulnerable in our society. Those who need assistance are the experts: health and social care need to work with them, listen and learn in order to be effective.”

The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) supported and evaluated the first two years of this programme.

Karen Fuller, deputy director of adult social care, said:”We’re delighted that SCIE has recognised the significant progress that has bene made on how we work in Oxfordshire with those who receive care and support, and their families. It’s vital that we listen to peoples desired outcomes and work with them to design services tailored to them. Working together across communities has been more important than ever during the Covid-19 pandemic so this week could not have come at a better time.”

A programme of events, is available at: news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/co-production-week-2020/