What is Co-production
Welcome to Co-production
Welcome to a better way of doing things with Cornwall Adult Social Care.
Co-production is all about building a lasting partnership between the council and our community. By the means of co-production we can create an accessible and inclusive Kernow for everyone that:
lives
works
volunteers, or
studies here
It's our commitment to ‘nothing about you, without you'.
We have produced a People Commissioning Co-production Framework with Experts by Experience. It helps explain why we are doing co-production. It also explains about what co-production will look like and how we will measure the impact, to see that co-production is working.
What is an Expert by Experience
This phrase explains that those who live with a:
condition
disability
specific life experiences or
protected characteristics
are the experts on that specific issue. It can cover many things. These could be an experience of domestic violence, human trafficking or crime. It could mean a life as a queer person, a person of colour, or a person who is or has been pregnant, and much more.
In Adult Social Care we have contact with many people. They are all experts on living with their disabilities, health conditions or illnesses. We also have contact with their carers and loved ones. Experts by Experience know far more about their condition than anyone else. They must be involved in decisions around their own support needs and life choices. They should also provide their input, on a wider scale, in shaping services for people who share a similar disability. The Council encourages input from people with lived experience in its decision-making processes.
We co-produce with:
residents
directorates
community
organisations
councillors, and
other partners
to build shared solutions that are implemented in Adult Social Care in Cornwall.
What is Co-production?
Co-production is a way of bringing everyone together. The shared aim is to remove barriers that prevent our residents from living as equal members of our community. It's about creating a culture across Cornwall where ideas and activities about co-production can thrive.
Co-production is ‘the relationship where professionals and citizens share power to:
design
plan
assess and deliver support together
It recognises that everyone has a vital contribution to make in order to improve quality of life for people and communities’ (New Economics Foundation).
Principles of Co-production
Our Co-production Framework was created with Experts by Experience. In the Co-production Framework we pledge to:
treat people as assets
build on people's capabilities
develop relationships with people
blur boundaries between delivering and receiving services
encourage and support peer support networks
facilitate and work with people to develop their own supports
help with maximising people's independence and potential
This is based on these principles of co-production:
Equal Partnership. Professionals and residents work together to plan, provide and evaluate services.
Inclusivity. Everyone has an important part to play in improving life for people and the community.
Removing Barriers. The focus is on identifying and eliminating obstacles that prevent full participation.
Confidence Building. It's about empowering people to work together and feel included in changing the things that matter.
Co-production can:
create services that people prefer
lead to more cost-effective solutions in the long run
reduce waste in service delivery
recognise and utilise the expertise of all participants
Levels of involvement in council activities
It's important to recognise that there are different levels of involvement between the council and citizens. It ranges from simple information sharing to full co-production. Co-production offers significant benefits and should be considered as a first way of working. It may not always be applicable or practical for every council activity.
Some reasons for this include:
1. Legal constraints. Certain decisions must be made solely by elected officials or appointed experts.
2. Time sensitivity. Some issues require immediate action, limiting the scope for extensive collaboration.
3. Technical complexity. Some matters may require specialised knowledge that most residents don't possess.
4. Resource limitations. Full co-production can be resource-intensive and may not be feasible for all projects.
5. Scale of impact. For decisions affecting only a small number of residents, other forms of engagement might be more appropriate.
With that said, Cornwall Council Adult Social Care is committed to "nothing about you without you". The drive for co-production is set to keep on increasing in both scope and diversity of application.
Ladder of Co-Production
The Co-production Ladder is a framework. It is used to describe different levels of involvement and power-sharing between Cornwall Council and communities. It helps visualise how collaboration can range from minimal involvement to full partnership. 
| Phrase | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Coercing | A local housing provider decides citizens have to use a service or do something without really understanding what they want or need. | A housing provider moves all housing repair requests to an online portal and stops accepting phone calls or in-person requests. Residents without internet access or digital skills have no choice but to use the online system. Their needs weren’t considered. |
| Educating | The council explains the benefits of its services and why they matter. It may try to encourage residents to change their behaviour. | The council runs workshops to educate residents why saving energy is important and gives tips on how to reduce energy use at home. |
| Informing | The council communicates to people about its services and explains how they work. | A newsletter is sent out to residents to update them on activities the council has changed recently. |
| Consulting | The council asks residents and local groups to share their views by taking part in surveys or meetings about plans or issues. | The council shares three different plans for improving local parks and asks residents to vote for the one they prefer. |
| Engaging | The council regularly gives citizens and community groups chances to share their views in different ways. Their input can help shape some decisions. | Residents in Penzance are encouraged to take part in a survey. The survey is about future investment in coastal protection and flood prevention measures. |
| Co-designing | Residents and local groups help design council services and projects. They can influence decisions but usually don’t help deliver them. | The council runs workshops where people help design a new recycling scheme, and their ideas are included in the final plan. |
| Co-production | Residents work with the council and partners from start to finish. Decisions are shared, and citizens help design and deliver services. | The council teams up with resident groups to redesign local parks, involving them in every stage - from planning to building and ongoing maintenance. |
Meaningful v.s. Tokenistic Co-production
As shown in the Ladder of Involvement, there are different ways the council can work with people. True co-production sits at the top of this ladder, representing the highest level of collaboration. It’s important to distinguish genuine co-production from tokenistic efforts. They may look collaborative but fall short in practice.
Tokenistic co-production happens. Mainly, when consultations and engagements are presented as full co-production. This often occurs when citizens input is collected to meet a requirement but is not meaningfully used in decision-making.
To ensure co-production is genuine and effective, we must critically look at the depth and quality of collaboration.
"I" statements to ensure meaningful co-production
To check if your co-production work is genuine, ask yourself:
Am I treated as an equal partner?
Do I have a say in decisions from the start?
Are my skills and experience valued?
Do I have access to all the information I need?
Am I supported to participate fully?
Is the process accessible and inclusive?
Are my contributions making a real difference?
Is there a commitment to long-term change?
The more “yes” answers you have, the closer you are to true, meaningful co-production. The more “no” answers, the more tokenistic it is.
Offering Choice Matters
True co-production should be the goal for some projects. It’s okay to offer a variety of involvement options from across the Ladder of Involvement. This gives people choice in how they participate, recognising that not everyone wants or is able to engage at the same level.
Key Reminder
Co-production is not a tick-box exercise. It requires genuine commitment and effort from all parties to create meaningful change. If you’re unsure about something or think policies need explaining more clearly, feel empowered to speak up. Your lived experience makes you an expert in the room.
