User and Carer Forum

The User and Carer Forum is the follow-up group to the User and Carer Panel. Some people who were on the Panel are still involved but there are some new members too. We asked people from different networks if they wanted to become a member. All of the members have lots of experience of different social work services – not just learning disability services. The purpose of the Forum is to develop Citizen Leadership across Scotland and to assist the Scottish Government with the implementation stage of the 21st Century Social Work Review. The forum meets monthly to work on this and often attend conferences and events to present on and promote Citizen Leadership.

The User and Carer Forum have worked on measures of Citizen Leadership and these have been published with the Panel’s report in a document called the Principles and Standards of Citizen Leadership. The User and Carer Forum hopes the document will encourage Citizen Leadership to happen. This document was launched at a conference called ’Citizen Leadership - Leading Together’ in April 2008.