Collaborative Cuts

I loved being at the ‘Collaborative Forum on the cuts to care services in Birmingham’ with another crucial forum from the University of Birmingham’s Department of Social Work and Social Care. We were. discussing the impact of the ongoing cuts to care services in Birmingham.

I love the process they took us through from helping us to avoid living in the discomfort of the state of things and instead working with everyone in the room, in order to think about how we do it using the 4D process (which isn’t that far away from the double diamond-we use for helping to go from problem to solution), to explore what we could dream up and innovate because we can see the way things are working now — are not working!

“Here’s the reality:

£52 million in cuts to Children’s Social Care in 2025

£63 million expected in 2025/26

£21.9 million slashed from Adult Social Care this year

These numbers are staggering, and the consequences are real. This forum is a space for open dialogue, collaboration, and community-driven solutions.

We want to work alongside the people, communities and services of Birmingham to spark these ideas and important debates. We are proposing an initial meeting inclusive of all interested in taking part. This includes citizens, families, community groups and social care professionals. At this meeting all views will be welcomed, and everyone’s viewpoints will be equally valued. We believe that conversation and dialogue will be fundamental to empowering communities, building capacity and supporting collaboration between all stakeholders in Birmingham, be this those receiving or those providing services and support.”

It was so brilliant to meet new friends & allies — Peter Hay and learn all about his own work and is rich experience in his time at Birmingham Council heading up the Adult and Social Care progrmme and now runs his own consultancy, Elssa Kegan CEO of Advocacy Matters who are clearly doing some critical work out there in communities whilst the cuts keep coming, Sanjeev Singh from Ladywood NNS, Ofure Odion from Disability Resource Centre who collectively shared wit me just how severe things have become.

‘We’re being asked to do more and more with less and less.’