Co-production week: why it matters

There’s something powerful about Co‑Production Week. It’s not just a date in the calendar, it’s a reminder of what good social work, and good regulation should feel like at its best: done with people, not to them. 

As a social worker, I’ve seen the difference co‑production makes. When we get it right, services land better, decisions are fairer, and people feel heard, not processed. And that’s exactly why, in our 2026 to 2027 business plan co‑production isn’t a side note, it’s a principle that runs through everything we do.  

It starts with listening – really listening. 

Co‑production isn’t about inviting feedback at the end of a process. It’s about shaping things from the start. 

Our business plan is clear: we will listen to, engage with and co‑produce alongside those directly influenced by our work.  

That means:

• social workers shaping their own professional standards
• people with lived experience informing how we regulate
• employers and educators helping us to get the detail right 

When we listen early, we avoid getting it wrong later. 

Inclusion isn’t possible without co‑production 

If we are serious about equality, diversity and inclusion, then co‑production is non‑negotiable. 

We know that some voices are heard more loudly than others. Co‑production helps us rebalance that, making space for people who are too often excluded from decision‑making. 

Our business plan commits to embedding EDI in everything we do. Co‑production is how we make that real, not theoretical. 

Better decisions, because they’re shared 

One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that technical expertise is only half the story. Lived experience brings the other half. 

Our plan strengthens how we use data and insight but importantly, it also deepens engagement through surveys, events and networks so that decisions are grounded in real experiences, not assumptions.  

A good example of this in practice is our fair referral principles. They were co-produced with employers and sector partners, using data and lived experience to tackle disproportionality in fitness to practise referrals.  

Put simply, the best decisions happen when we bring different perspectives into the room and genuinely share the power. 

Co‑production builds trust 

Regulation only works if people trust it. Trust comes from transparency, fairness and from feeling that your voice counts. Our wider strategy is about building confidence in a safer practice environment, and co‑production is key to that.  

When people see their input shaping decisions, confidence grows. When they don’t, it quickly disappears. 

So, what does Co‑Production Week mean for us? 

It’s a chance to pause and ask ourselves some honest questions: 

• are we involving people early enough?
• are we hearing from the right voices, not just the familiar ones?
• are we acting on what we hear?
• are we closing the loop and showing the difference that that input has made? 

Because co‑production isn’t a single conversation, it’s a culture. 

A final thought 

For me, co‑production goes back to the core values of social work: respect, partnership, and recognising people as experts in their own lives. 

Our business plan sets a clear direction, one where co‑production is embedded in how we design, decide and deliver.   

Co‑Production Week is a great moment to celebrate that but more importantly, to keep pushing ourselves to do it better, every day.