1. Adoption UK co-production project
The main aims of the project are:
To identify the types and levels of adopter partnership working that exists between VAAs and adopters (including prospective adopters)
To describe and develop best practice examples of adopter partnership working within the sector

2. What did Adoption UK do? Surveys: Focus groups:
Survey of adopters and prospective adopters
Survey VAAs
Focus groups:
Adopters and agency representatives F2F
Virtual focus groups – telephone interviews with adopters

3. Survey data 276 adopters responded from 16 of the 28 VAAs
62% of were adopters with placements
38% prospective adopters or approved adopters awaiting placement
52 adopters offered to help with focus group work:
4 able to attend in person, 48 contributing via 1:1 telephone interview/on-line narrative submissions.
VAAs:
17 individual responses from 12 of the 28 VAAs
6 agencies were represented on both surveys

4. Adopter contact and engagement
75% of adopters had regular direct contact and 97% of adopters received information on a regular basis
Around 70% of adopters involved in some form of engagement/co-production, but different levels for different types:
Feedback about services 80%-90%
Sharing of experiences with other adopters and staff, contribute to training approx 50%
Media, staff interviews, bid-writing, Ofsted <15%

5. Adopter Intentions
Around 70% of adopters would like to be involved/work co-productively in the future, but different levels for different types of work:
80%-90% happy to provide feedback/survey responses
75% happy to share experiences with other adopters and staff (group and 1:1) and talk to Ofsted
Around 50% happy to do media work, help with bid/tender writing, support staff interviews.

6. Barriers to co-production?
Order of importance to adopters in deciding whether to work in partnership with VAAs:
Time of the day/day of the week 90%
Commitment of time 75%
Whether contribution makes a difference 60%
Requirement to travel 41%
Venue 26%
Cost 26%

7. Summary
Agency staff and adopters involved in partnership working have found it a positive and rewarding experience and one they would like to repeat.
There are a number of adopters who want to get involved but haven’t been asked.
Most examples focus on adopter support and preparation, Media representation, service feedback through questionnaires and surveys and speaking to Ofsted.
Little adopter involvement in strategic discussions and decision making or peer to peer services.

8. Next steps
Adoption UK following up with final adopter interviews/narrative submissions
Adoption UK producing a full report with best practice case studies and recommendations.