What is involvement and coproduction?
Involvement is when young people, and their families and carers, are asked to share their views and experiences. They may also provide input into decisions.
They might fill in a survey or speak in a meeting about their journey to help shape decisions for example – but they don’t always get to influence what happens next.
Co-production goes further. It’s when young people and their families and carers are equal partners in decision making. They don’t just share their views – they help shape services, make care more accessible, and ensure that services like ours, focus on what matters most to young people.
This could mean co-producing resources with others, co-designing a lived experience network, co-producing service developments with staff or making a care plan together with staff for example.
Co-production recognises and values lived experience just as much as professional expertise. It means someone’s personal experiences are seen as an important part of planning, designing, running and reviewing services. In other words, what you have been through isn’t just listened to – it is used to make things better.
What is an Expert by Experience?
An Expert by Experience (EbE) is someone who’s been through something. Like using mental health services, social care, or support systems and then uses that experience to help make things better for others. For us, this means patients who have used a Thames Valley Tier 4 CAMHS service or a family or carer supporting a young person who has used these services.
