Getting serious about lived experience

During 2024-25 we’re working to ensure that the voice of lived experience is embedded in our projects, guided by our Co-production Advisory Group and our Carers’ Network, our EDI work and our Learning, disability and autism (LD&A) programmes and reflected in projects like our Autism and Parental Blame research. We are aiming to have Co-production Advisory Group member representation on all of our key networks by the end of the year.

Co-production


Jenny Wood, Chair, WM-ADASS Branch, and Director of Adult Social Care & Deputy Chief Executive, Solihull Council

Our Vision is for:

Promoting independence, social justice, and thriving communities in the West Midlands through sustainable social care and health systems, while ensuring an effective response to the new CQC assurance process. Our four key objectives are:

  1. Statutory duties, reform and assurance: Prepare for the CQC assurance process by implementing specific support offer to 14 councils within the first six months of 2024.
  2. Providing safe support: Ensure a sustainable care market and workforce, and effective relations with the NHS, by implementing specific initiatives and achieving measurable targets during 2024/25.
  3. Working with people: Promote social justice and support fair, thriving local communities and economies by implementing specific initiatives; achieving measurable outcomes within the next two years.
  4. Leadership and innovation: Implement specific digital, data, and research initiatives to drive innovation and achieve measurable improvements within the next three years.

Our vision is also underpinned by ongoing work we are undertaking to plan for the long-term future of adult social care using scenario-based planning.

Find out more

Latest News

18 September 2025: Connecting with research: establishing a Community of Practice for adult social care workers in the West Midlands.

The workshop, part of the WM-ADASS Research Programme will be in Birmingham and run 1000 - 1300 including lunch, which will be provided. Connecting with academic research in meaningful ways can often be limited. This workshop marks the first step in creating a dedicated Community of Practice (CoP) where adult social care professionals can

Read more about 18 September 2025: Connecting with research: establishing a Community of Practice for adult social care workers in the West Midlands.

9 September 2025: Building Bridges - establishing a Community of Practice for commissioners and academics

Opportunities for commissioners to connect with academic research in meaningful ways can be limited. This workshop is the first step in establishing a dedicated Community of Practice where Adult Social Care commissioners can collaboratively engage with academic research, share knowledge, and develop innovative approaches to evidence-informed

Read more about 9 September 2025: Building Bridges - establishing a Community of Practice for commissioners and academics

WM-ADASS to sponsor Social Worker of the Year Awards once more

WM-ADASS will be sponsoring The Social Worker of the Year Awards again in 2025, this time for the Technology Enabled Lives and Innovation in Practice Award Established in 2006, the aim of Awards is to recognise and celebrate the challenging work that qualified social workers do day in, day out, and highlight their achievements. Last year we had the

Read more about WM-ADASS to sponsor Social Worker of the Year Awards once more

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Latest Resources

Exploring Perspectives On Autism: slides from webinar 13 August 2025

The webinar shared findings from the first phase of the Exploring Perspectives On Autism project, which examined the experiences of parents seeking support for children and young people who may be autistic. The sessions covered experiences of parents and children; how blame can arise in encounters with practitioners; the impact of being an autistic parent; the fine line between blame, safeguarding, and concerns around Fabricated or Induced Illness (FII) and the need to hear practitioners’ perspectives in identifying and supporting autistic children.

Real People Real Lives Presentation

The slide set, prepared by WM-ADASS Research Champion Surrinder Bains, explains the Real People Real Lives - community researchers project which is part of the 2025-26 programme. The purpose of the project is to recruit community researchers from under-served communities and groups to engage in research.

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The DASS Guide

A compendium of practical content on delivering effectively against the statutory requirements of the role of Director of Adult Social Services.

Read the DASS guide