Driving Innovation in Dementia Social Care (DISC) - The role of social enterprise organisations

Dr Maria Cheshire-Allen, Senior Research Fellow, will present findings based on a primary qualitative research study that aimed to explore the role of Social Enterprise Organisations (SEOs) in delivering co-produced support for unpaid carers of people living with dementia. Defined broadly in the UK as businesses with a social or environmental purpose, SEOs are increasingly recognised as occupying a unique space in the delivery of adult social care services. To date, however, there is little firm evidence of SEOs delivering co-produced solutions within the policy framework in Wales, which can be understood to be particularly permissive of SEO involvement, or how the sector is involved in the delivery of support for family carers.

This paper reports on findings gathered through a series of five research focus groups in South Wales, UK with family carers, and a range of SEO care providers. Key themes identified competition between and within organisations, parochialism, capacity and organisational barriers. The study highlights implications for policy and practice related to the policy rhetoric of co-produced support services for family carers, SEOs views on delivering that support as well as family carers' experiences of navigating and receiving SEO delivered services.

This event is being run by the Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research if you have any questions, please contact the event team.