Small is beautiful? Evidencing the impact of micro-providers of care

1. Small is beautiful? Evidencing the impact of micro-providers of care Sue Baines, Mike Bull, Madeleine Jarvis, Val Antcliff and Lynn Martin The Centre for Enterprise Manchester Metropolitan University Business School

2. ESRC Third Sector Placement “Focus on the gifts and assets of people and communities to help stimulate and deliver enterprise” “We focus on the gifts and assets of people and communities to help stimulate and deliver ent“Focus on Community Catalysts CIC works with local authorities to support ‘micro-providers’ of social care Small scale (<5 workers) Many (not all) run by family carers or people themselves needing care. CC claim that micro-providers extend choice, enhance market diversity and facilitate social participation. How can such claims be substantiated?

3. Evidencing value • Many ‘Prove and improve’ tools aimed at charities and social enterprises. Using them makes demands on time skills and money. • Information perceived as a burden on the frontline • In common with many orgs. CC has limited capacity or willingness to collate information • ‘Failure to understand the relationships and values that organisations, managers, practitioners and citizens have and potentially have with and put within information.’ (Wilson et al, 2011: 298)

4. Attitudes and beliefs Care provision Information ‘Professional gift model’ – control and dependence Rules plus social cohesion Individual choice Self-management and mutuality Sense only in hindsight Universal, comparable, national indicators Incentives, price Localised, entangled

5. Action Research • Researchers and practitioners working towards useful outcomes and new understanding. • Participated in meetings both physical and virtual convened by the partners for their workers, associates and clientele. • Set up meetings (face to face and telephone) with the partner • Discuss information collection practices and skills • Workshop for local authorities, the third sector and universities with an interest in social value and challenges of evidencing it.

6. Towards a Social Audit Approach Data collection: Engage with stakeholders Develop indicators Identify data collection processes Stakeholders MPs LAs CC coordinators Service Users Community Reflect Review indicators & processes Embed good practice CC goals & values: 1.Local support for MPs 2.Real choice of quality services 3. Promote value of these services at all levels

7. Evidence framework • ‘Diverse markets’ evidenced by the range of different new services offered and client groups supported • ‘Sustainable business’ evidenced mainly by charging criteria • Employment generation – evidenced by numbers of full and part-time workers • Social participation - evidenced by volunteer involvement and network activity.