Principles (why do it?)

This section contains documents and links to sites that discuss the reasons and advantages of involvment, as well as the challenges.  The resources also describe and reflect on the shared understandings needed, by social care professionals and service users/carers, to achieve effective involvement.

You're Welcome - a new set of principles for making health services 'young people friendly'

The NHS Centre for Involvement has a set of principles that underpin their work

Arnstein's Ladder of Participation is one of the most widely acknowledged models of involvement.  Using a ladder as a metaphor, with each rung represents the degree of power a citizen holds and is an easy way to distinguish between passive and more active involvement. 

Good Practice Principles of Involvement
Developed by the Getting Involved Reference Group.

Eight principles for involving service users and carers. Developed by the General Social Care Council, Commission for Social Care Inspection, Skills for Care and The Social Care Institute for Excellence.

Together, a leading national charity for wellbeing, promote the concepts of valuing, respecting and supporting service user involvement are important principles.  These are described in more detail in their 'good practice guide'.

Page last edited: 09 June 2009