Welcome blog: Strategic Co-Production Month in West Sussex 2018 (Coproduction)

Welcome to the start of strategic co-production month in West Sussex.

Co-production means that children, young people and parent carers are truly involved in planning and designing services from the very beginning. We know that where this happens well we end up with much better services.

Co-production is not a new concept as we are reflecting on ten years of strategic co-production in West Sussex, thinking about how far we have come, but acknowledging the work that still needs to be done.

To raise the awareness and profile of co-production it was agreed to launch a ‘Strategic Co-Production Month’ in March 2018. The National Network of Parent Carer Forums has also been involved in the discussion. During March we will be sharing examples of how we work in co-production with parents and carers and young people.

Last week the Local Area had a SEND Inspection. This initiative is not as a result of the inspection but highlights the importance of ensuring we work in a person-centred way with parent carers and young people and partners to identify, assess and meet the needs of children/young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their families.

Follow the West Sussex Parent Carer Forum and Local Offer Facebook and Twitter channels for updates. Join the conversation using the #LetsParticipate #WestSussex

FacebookParent Carer Forum & Local Offer

Twitter - @ws_pcf & @LocalOfferWS



The SEND Code of Practice 2015 highlights the importance of wherever possible working in co-production across partners in the local authority, health, education settings and education providers, families (parent carers), children and young people, the voluntary and community and the faith sector. In West Sussex we have developed a Framework for the Development and Sustainability of Co-Production in SEND and a Self-Evaluation Tool.

In West Sussex we have been working with the Parent Carer Forum since 2008 and they have supported us with a lot of our co-produced work, however there are many ways that parents and carers, young people and all of us who work to support families can work in coproducing our services.

If you would like to know more about strategic co-production, individual co-production or have any comments then please email [email protected]

We hope that you find strategic co-production month helpful and informative.

Jon Philpot, Principal Manager for SEN & Inclusion