The UK’s largest co-operative development agency, Cwmpas, has been reappointed by the Welsh Government to support the transformation of services within the social care sector, by pushing forward the development of social value models into how care is delivered across Wales.  

The vision is to ensure everyone understands what a social value model of delivery is, and why they are needed; how they deliver great social care and added value, achieve the best outcomes for people and communities in both the short-term and the long-term.

Importantly, social value models encourage strong collaboration with commissioners, providers and citizens working together to solve each other’s problems within communities. This approach aims to see care providers sharing solutions, resources, and costs, with care agencies actively engaged with community-based agencies and facilities.

Cwmpas’ engagement will help providers deliver outreach work that benefits people outside of formal care, supporting people to be active participants and contributors to their community. This will result in care activities significantly strengthening community well-being (and vice versa).

Key to supporting Welsh Government and its partners, Cwmpas will help strengthen regional arrangements for rebalancing the social care market by introducing more co-operatives, social enterprises and social value delivery models in the Welsh social care sector. Cwmpas will ensure the alignment of seven Social Value Forums (SVFs) across Wales, helping advise on their priorities and identifying support needed to help them achieve the right results within communities.

This work will be reported back to a Task and Finish Group in order to help Welsh Government succeed in its policy to rebalance the care sector.

Commenting on the appointment, Donna Coyle, Project Manager, Co-operative Care and Support at Cwmpas, says:

“There is a huge opportunity for the delivery of social value in social care to genuinely transform the sector and Cwmpas is delighted to be a part of this strategy and is already working with partners such as Drive Wales and its ‘Drive Autism Eco Project’ to deliver social care with social value at its heart.

“Traditionally, there hasn’t been enough focus on achieving well-being for people, or on mobilising people’s opinions and ability in social care. There has been a lack of collaboration between relevant agencies and not enough importance placed on prevention or reduction on dependency on services. In addition, the scope for care activities to strengthen the whole community has been ignored. There needs to be a collaborative re-design of services in every community locality – using a social value model of delivery.”

The work of Cwmpas will support the aims of the Welsh Government’s Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. The principles at the heart of the legislation help shape both system change and continuous improvement and provide a blueprint for Local Authorities to follow. The Act puts the promotion of well-being at the centre of social care delivery. It provides people accessing care with a voice to help shape their support and decisions affecting their life. It demands early intervention to prevent problems reaching a critical stage and heralds collaboration and strong partnership working between the organisations that support someone’s life.

Donna adds:

“The building blocks are already in place within Wales thanks to Government legislation. What is needed now is the confidence to develop a social value system that is better for people and our communities and we are looking forward to the challenge.”