1 USERS INVOLVEMENT IN SOCIAL SERVICES Rhetoric or Reality? Brian Munday, EISS, UK Skopje, April 2007

2 INTRODUCTION Long personal interest and involvement in European social services, especially in Central and Eastern Europe European Institute of Social Services Council of Europe project This subject What are ‘social services’ ? Countries are different! Differences between disabilities No ‘blueprint’ or recipe Change from: disability as ‘personal tragedy’ (what service response?) to the ‘social model’ of disability (service response?); and from being represented to user involvement, self-advocacy and user control of services

3 HOW ARE USERS INVOLVED? History and context cannot be ignored e.g. there are considerable differences between western European countries. User involvement (UI) is more advanced in some than others e.g’s Why do countries differ? A positive ‘culture’ of UI is very important but not easy or quick to achieve

4 INVOLVEMENT AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OR STAGES Individual service user (and carer) e.g. the care management model – what this involves In planning, organising, delivering and evaluating local services Importance of local users organisations Information on services for users Social care councils Users budgets

5 INVOLVEMENT METHODS Focus groups Future search conferences User led research/evaluation Complaints systems; ombudsmen National Forum

6 HOW IS USER INVOLVEMENT ACHIEVED? Many factors and influences are important: 1.Development of a national culture of citizens’ involvement e.g. in education, health, politics. ‘Consumers not clients’ etc 2.Changes in professional attitudes and practice e.g. away from the ignorant, passive client tradition. Users now regularly involved in professional training 3.Users get organised e.g. ‘Shaping Our Lives’

7 4. Legislation and inspection helps change attitudes and practices e.g. the UK system of SS inspection 5. Networking nationally and internationally