Think Local Act Personal

VIDEO | Jacqui talks about why having a Personal Assistant with a similar culture is important to her. Watch the full webinar here: buff.ly/tvqQv4X

What does 'good' really look like in adult social care? The Making It Real ‘I statements’ are one way of exploring that, through the words and experiences of people who draw on care and support.

They’re a powerful way to start conversations that can lead to real change. buff.ly/9ZUl2l0

If you’re trying to build public understanding and strengthen support for investment and reform in social care, these two resources are definitely worth bookmarking:

🟣 How to talk about social care (research)
🟣 5 tips to help you talk about adult social care

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"Underfunded, short-term care does not save money."

This is what Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE had to say when he was asked the question "In 2026, how do we make the economics of care fair for everyone?"

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Our partner @scie.org.uk has published a new report, Towards a National Care Service: raising national standards of care, which looks at how national standards could improve adult social care across England.

Find out more buff.ly/ElH98qq

Buy tickets – Commissioning for the Future of Social Care – Winchester College, New Hall Commissioning for the Future of Social Care – Winchester College, New Hall, Wed 25 Mar 2026 - Commissioning for the Future of Social Care is a one-day national conference bringing together senior…

It’s a day for real learning, honest conversations, and practical collaboration shaping what the next phase of reform should look like. Learn more and sign up at: buff.ly/GldLOPL

Delegates will hear directly from councils, providers, and people with lived experience who are demonstrating that values-led, relationship-based approaches deliver stronger outcomes and better value for money.

The event tackles one of the most urgent challenges in social care today: how to build trust-based, neighbourhood-focused care systems that are both person-centred and financially sustainable.

We're delighted to be sponsoring 'Commissioning for the Future of Social Care', a one-day national conference bringing together senior commissioners, providers, system leaders, and innovators who are reshaping how adult social care is designed, commissioned, and delivered.

The Government has launched a new Independent Disability Advisory Panel, bringing together ten people with lived experience of disability and long-term health conditions to help shape national health and disability policy.

Find out more buff.ly/9ts3uQT

With the new Disability Advisory Panel and the Timms Review, both including people with lived experience, more policy decisions will be shaped by the people they affect.

Is the message getting through that lived experience is essential to making policy work? What do you think?

Direct Payments and the power of culturally competent care - TLAP For many of us from the global majority, traditional support services don’t always meet our needs. They often come with assumptions, rigid structures, or a

Direct payments can be life-changing — especially when traditional services don’t reflect people’s cultures, identities or lived realities.

This blog shares lived experience of how direct payments enable dignity, choice and truly culturally competent support:

‘I just want to be able to dance’ - TLAP A report promoting the wellbeing of people living with dementia through community development, social innovation, and personalised support.

We’re proud to share a hopeful vision for care and support that promotes the wellbeing of people living with dementia through community development, social innovation, and personalised support. As well as practical actions to make this vision a reality.
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This is what people living with dementia told us when we asked them what matters to their wellbeing.

At the heart of all of us lies the fundamental human desire to keep doing the things that give life meaning. Yet current UK policy still centres on the disease, not the person.

New Independent Disability Advisory Panel to put lived experience at the heart of policy - TLAP The Government has announced the first members of its new Independent Disability Advisory Panel, bringing together ten people with lived experience of disability and long-term health conditions to…

The Government has launched a new Disability Advisory Panel, bringing together 10 people with lived experience of disability and long-term health conditions to shape national health and disability policy. Among those appointed is Isaac Samuels OBE, Co-Chair of TLAP's Board.

Making It Real was created to be woven into the everyday life around people’s care and support. By using Making It Real as a golden thread for regulation, the Care Quality Commission is sending a clear message: quality oversight must start with what matters to people.

Our upcoming webinar builds on this work, focusing on how Direct Payments can support people who have been racialised as ethnic minorities.

📅 Unlocking the power of Direct Payments for the global majority
🕛 27 Jan | 12–1pm

Book now: buff.ly/HpFV7aZ

What does good leadership feel like to you? We’ve been exploring what it really means for care and support to be well-led.

One message came through loud and clear: Leadership doesn’t sit at the top, it belongs to all of us.

Fiona Flowers shares her thoughts on leadership buff.ly/ZMv10sV

Co-production landed at the Commissioning Conference - TLAP This year’s ‘Commissioning for the Future’ conference felt different to me. I have spent years turning up in co-production spaces sometimes feeling like I was trying to convince people why lived…

3. Give space for emotions because lived experience is never neutral.
4. Offer real influence not just a seat at the table.
5. Keep learning because co-production is always evolving and so are we.

More insights from Isaac buff.ly/5Pym6Nf

Here are 5 top tips for bringing lived experience into commissioning spaces, from Isaac Samuels OBE:

1. Show up as yourself because real honesty is what changes the room.
2. Invest in relationships because co-production only works when trust grows.

Making It Real is a set of co-produced statements that describe what good care and support looks like.

They're aligned to the Care Act, and built in to the Care Quality Commission's Assessment Framework.

You can use Making It Real to spark ideas that improve lives.

See how at makingitreal.org.uk

As we set priorities for 2026, lots of us will talk about co-production. But a harder question is: where are we on the ladder towards it?

This new year, let’s explore further along the ladder.

Because co-production isn’t a short-term project, it’s a long-term relationship.

📅 Unlocking the power of Direct Payments for the global majority
🕛 27 January | 12–1pm

Book at: buff.ly/HpFV7aZ

In our upcoming webinar, we’ll explore how Direct Payments can better support people who have been racialised as ethnic minorities, through culturally appropriate, person-led approaches shaped by real stories and real lives.

For many, it offers a more accurate and empowering way to talk about race and power.

At the same time, the term isn’t perfect. It can risk flattening very different experiences and identities into a single label – which is why nuance and lived experience matter.

What do we mean when we say “global majority” – and why does it matter?

The term is often used to describe people who have been racialised as ethnic minorities, while also recognising that globally, these communities are not a minority at all.

Unlocking the power of Direct Payments for the global majority
📅 27 Jan

Explore how Direct Payments can better support people who have been racialised as ethnic minorities through culturally appropriate, strengths-based approaches rooted in real experience: buff.ly/HpFV7aZ

We're challenging everyday terms that get in the way of a person-centred approach to care and support, where people are recognised as equal citizens and have choice and control over the care they draw on to live the life they want.

Explore our Language Hub to learn more buff.ly/kG5dhlq

Do you believe that everyone should have the care and support they need to live well and do more of what matters to them? If so, we'd love to connect.

Sign up to our mailing list to get the latest insights, updates, and practical resources, so you can stay informed and inspired: buff.ly/yvntWLn

Earlier this year we posted our 2024-2025 highlights. From co-producing ethical AI principles to shaping new leadership visions, we’ve been busy working across organisations, roles, and borders to build a more personalised, inclusive and ethical future for health and social care. buff.ly/ntBURGu