British social policy has historically been dominated by politicians, academics and practitioners, with recipients of welfare provision and their carers having little say in the shaping and development, or ownership of their services. Over the past few decades there has been significant growth in service user movements who are working to transform discussions, policy initiatives, systems and research within this field (Campbell, 1996; Campbell and Oliver, 1996, cited in Beresford, 2001). The last 15 years has seen service user participation incorporated within Britain’s social and health care policy agenda, to the extent where it has now in many areas become a requirement enforced by legislation (Carr, 2004). This has not been without complication.
This essay will attempt to address some of the issues arising from service user participation. I will highlight relevant legislation promoting the rights of participation, alongside government guidance for professionals and......
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Approximate Word Count: 4450
Approximate Pages: 18 (260 words per double-spaced page) |