Social Care, Service Users and User Involvement

Peter Beresford is Professor of Social Policy and Director of the Centre for Citizen Participation at Brunel University, UK, Visiting Professor at Edge Hill University, a long term user of mental health services and Chair of Shaping Our Lives, the national service user led organisation and network. He is a writer, researcher, educator and campaigner with a long-standing involvement in issues of participation and empowerment. Sarah Carr is a Senior Research Analyst at the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), an Honorary Fellow at the Faculty of Health, Staffordshire University, a Visiting Fellow of the Centre for Government and Charity Management, Faculty of Business, London South Bank University and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. She is a trustee of NDTi, the LGB&T Consortium of Voluntary and Community Organisations and of the National Survivor and User Network (NSUN). Sarah is a long-term user of mental health services and has written on her own experiences as well as general mental health practice and policy, LGB welfare and equality issues, service user empowerment and participation.

• Foreword. Simon Denegri, INVOLVE, UK. Introduction. 1. The Theory and Philosophy Behind User Involvement. Peter Beresford, Brunel University, UK. 2. Participation, Resistance and Change: Examining Influences on the Impact of Service User Participation. Sarah Carr, Social Care Institute for Excellence, UK. 3. Service User Involvement -- What It Is and What It Could Be: Lessons from the Standards We Expect Project. Jennie Fleming, Centre for Social Action, De Montfort University, UK. 4. Reclaiming Community Work for Involvement in Social Care. Martin Hoban, WRVS Wellbeing Project, UK. 5. Rainbow Quality System: User Led Innovation in Quality Assurance. Arne Kristiansen, Lund University, Sweden. 6. Co-production in Evaluation and Outcomes: Lessons from Working with Older People in Designing and Undertaking Research Initiatives on Older People's Lives, Independence and Wellbeing. Helen Bowers and Anita Wilkins, National Development Team for Inclusion, UK. 7. Involving Ethnically Diverse Service Users In the Research Process: Alliances and Action. Karen Newbigging, University of Central Lancashire, UK, Alastair Roy, University of Central Lancashire, Zemikael Habte-Mariam, independent researcher, Mick McKeown, University of Central Lancashire and Beverley French, University of Central Lancashire. 8. Researching Continuity of Care in Mental Health: What Difference Does Holding a Survivor Research Identity Make? Angela Sweeney, University College London, UK. 9. Involving a Marginalized Group in Research and Analysis: People with Life Limiting Conditions -- Issues and Gains. Philip Cotterell, Southampton University, UK and Mandy Paine, service user and campaigner. 10. The Key Contribution of User-Led Services: What the Evidence Tells Us. Colin Barnes, University of Leeds, UK. 11. No Blame, No Shame: Towards a Social Model of Alcohol Dependency -- A Story from Emancipatory Research. Patsy Staddon, University of Plymouth, UK. 12. 'There's no point in doing research if no one wants to listen': Identifying LGBT Needs and Effecting 'Positive Social Change' for LGBT people in Brighton and Hove. Kath Browne, University of Brighton, UK, Leela Bakshi, activist researcher and Jason Lim, Queen Mary's, University of London, UK. 13. Involving Children and Young People in Research: Principles into Practice. Louca-Mai Brady, National Children's Bureau, UK, Ciara Davey, Which? Magazine, Catherine Shaw, National Children's Bureau and Rachel Blades, National Children's Bureau. 14. Involving People with Learning Difficulties and Self-Advocacy. Maggie Brennan, Victor Forrest and Jennifer Taylor, People First Lambeth Research Group. Conclusion. The Personal is Still Political. Peter Beresford and Sarah Carr. Index.

Overall, this is a very worthwhile book, well compiled and presented and particularly suited to social and health care practitioners, academics and students. It provides ample justification for the enhanced value accrued by involving service users in service provision and the ethical imperative for that involvement.