Why co-production matters to OPFS

Co-production is more than just a buzzword

We believe that when services and policy priorities are genuinely co-produced they work better because they make the most of the shared expertise of the practitioners who work for us and the parents who are ‘experts through experience’.

This means that we recognise that services more closely matched to what single parent families want (as opposed to what practitioners assume they need) will achieve more – single parents feel more comfortable with a service designed by single parents who have faced the same situations.

Through this approach OPFS is trusted by single parents and recognised by policymakers as the organisation in Scotland that gives single parents a voice. The process of taking part in co-production has built confidence and inspired single parents to achieve their goals and regain control over their lives, while staff have told us that it has led to them feeling more motivated and positive.