Adult social care small grants

Grant call out

Involvement and co-production on Adult Social Care Issues (Lived Experience) grant call-out

North Tyneside Council is inviting applications for an Adult Social Care Small Grant to deliver a service focused on engaging individuals with lived experience of adult social care issues. The aim is to ensure their voices are heard and influence service delivery, improvement, and policy development, in alignment with the Adult Social Care Practice Quality Framework and to support CQC inspection visits.

This is in line with our commitment to developing and delivering co-production in North Tyneside and in line with our strategy “Stronger Together”.

Project aims

  • Involvement and co-production happens across a range of service users accessing adult social care services. 

  • Involvement and co-production includes people with protected characteristics under the terms of the Equality Act 2010.

  • Involvement and co-production involves two-way communication and representation between service users, commissioners and adult social care on adult social care issues.

  • People who wish to be involved in co-production are able to influence policy, processes and adult social care provision.

  • People have the advice and information they need to be effectively involved.

  • Those who are involved in co-production receive the training, development and/or support they need to be involved effectively.

  • People who have been engaged understand how their views have been used to inform planning and decision-making within adult social care.

Expected outcomes

  • Enhanced understanding of the needs and experiences of service users, particularly older people, individuals with learning disabilities, and those with mental health issues.

  • Improved adult social care services that are responsive to user needs.

  • Increased trust and collaboration between service users and providers.

  • Evidence-based recommendations for service improvement.

  • Strengthened Adult Social Care Practice Quality Framework through continuous user feedback.

  • Informed CQC inspection visits through the inclusion of lived experience input.

  • Effective independent oversight and constructive challenge provided to Adult Social Care services.

  • Establish a presence at Quadrant and work closely with Adult Social Care

Service requirements

As part of this grant arrangement the provider/s must be willing to develop the resources needed to give a range of support to commissioners and adult social care that might include:

  • Design, administration and analysis of surveys.

  • Recruitment of people with lived experience of adult social care who can participate in ‘in-depth’ co-production groups with commissioners and adult social care officers.

  • Recruitment of people with lived experience of adult social care who can articulate those views at informal or formal meetings with commissioners and adult social care officers and wider partners e.g. Healthwatch North Tyneside, CQC.

  • Supporting individuals to take part in involvement and co production approaches.

  • Sharing of commissioning and adult social care information with the public and interested parties/key stakeholders (around involvement and co-production opportunities, progress and outcomes).

  • Event organisation.

  • Arranging and conducting focus groups.

  • Facilitation of discussions.

  • Support for individuals to be involved in decision-making groups in co-production approaches.

  • Data analysis (both qualitative and quantitative).

  • Reporting (producing reports which can be easily understood, and which directly answer the questions posed by commissioners and adult social care managers).

  • Any other activity that will support commissioners and adult social care to develop co-production approaches effectively in North Tyneside.

  • Collect and document lived experiences of individuals using adult social care services.

  • Provide a platform for these individuals to share their stories and feedback.

  • Ensure this feedback is utilised to inform and improve adult social care services, policies, processes and commissioned services.

  • Foster collaboration between service users and adult social care providers to co-design and co-produce solutions.

  • Act as a critical friend, bringing an independent view to support the views of those with lived experience to Adult Social Care.

  • Support the implementation and enhancement of the Adult Social Care Practice Quality Framework.

  • Integrate lived experience input to support CQC inspections or peer review / visits.

Monitoring and reporting

The council will expect:

  • Six-monthly progress reports

  • Anonymised case studies

  • Digital media evidence of activities

  • KPI and outcomes reporting

  • Participation in governance meetings

Provider criteria

Applicants must demonstrate:

  • Experience delivering projects which incorporate views of those with lived experience 

  • Strong partnership working in community or statutory settings

  • Experience working with people with lived experience, in particular those who are hard to reach

  • Robust safeguarding and governance arrangements

Budget

The total project budget is £50,000 per annum. Applicants should provide a detailed breakdown of how the funding will be used over the three-year period. Please note that capital items are not eligible for funding.

Application process

We are excited to work with local charities and VCS organisations on this important initiative. To apply, please complete the application form and ensure your response covers:

  • What do you plan to do

  • How will your project benefit the target population

  • How will you deliver the project successfully 

  • How will you measure success 

  • How does your project align with the aims of the North Tyneside Council’s Adult Social Care Strategy

Submission details

Completed applications should be submitted by 12 August 2026.

Timescales for the process are as follows:

  • Advertisement: 17 July 2026

  • Closing date: 12 August 2026

  • Selection process: shortlisted applicants may be invited to an informal discussion with the panel (either online or in person), dates TBC

  • Delivery period: from 1 October 2026

  • Grant end date: 30 September 2029

Selection process

An Adult Social Care small grants panel will review applications. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to a face-to-face evaluation session. This session will include people with lived experience.

While we will do our best, we may not be able to provide feedback to all applicants who are not shortlisted.

Contact

For any queries, please contact the Adult Social Care small grants team at: ASCsmallgrants@northtyneside.gov.uk