Get involved with adult social care

Find out how to get involved in the design, development and delivery of adult social care services.

We want to deliver an adult social care vision in partnership with local people whose insight comes from their lived experience of social care.

By listening and having genuine conversations with local people we will change the way social care can be imagined and delivered in Croydon.

From the learning developed alongside our residents and carers; together we will create and use the most appropriate method of engagement or involvement.

Resident voices

This group is called Resident Voices, and in their own words their ambition is to "ensure that people with lived experience of Adult Social Care or health in Croydon are listened to, involved and valued".

For more information on getting involved email Talk2SocialCare@Croydon.gov.uk.

Autism Partnership Board

The board is a mix of people with lived experience of autism, people who work for the council, people who work in health and the voluntary and community sector organisations.

The aim of the board is to deliver on the Autism Strategy and to improve and develop services for the autistic community of Croydon.

For more information, or if you would like to join, please contact kevin.oakhill@croydon.gov.uk.

Carers Partnership Board

A mix of people with lived experience of caring, people who work for the council and voluntary and community sector organisations striving to improve and support the caring community in Croydon.

The board:

  • oversees the implementation of the Croydon Carers Strategy Action Plan and provides strategic direction for the improvement of carers’ services in Croydon.
  • identifies the priority areas for service developments for Croydon carers linking these with known local and national priorities and resource assumptions.

For more information on getting involved email carersboard@croydon.gov.uk.

The Learning Disability Partnership Board

A mix of people with lived experience of learning disabilities, people who work for the council and voluntary and community sector organisations working together to improve and shape service delivery for adults with learning disabilities in Croydon.

The board:

  • aims to protect and support people’s rights, independence, choice, decisions in relation to Learning Disability services.
  • helps organisations to work well together and with people to make sure services are well connected, for example, health and social care, housing, social and leisure, and workplace.

For more information on getting involved email Ajirioghene.Uyeri-Charles@croydon.gov.uk

Croydon’s Local Community Partnerships (LCP)

Local Community Partnership events are held to make connections and strengthen partnerships between the council, health and the Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector (VCFS), including individual active residents.

Community plans are being developed to build-on the rich assets of Croydon’s communities and provide new opportunities, groups, and activities to residents. The programme is community-led and strengths-based, with a focus on preventing crises and making residents’ lives safer, healthier and happier.

The LCP programme of work is based on ‘One Croydon’s Integrated Care Network Plus (ICN+)’ model of 6 localities in Croydon:

Croydon North

Croydon North East covers the areas of Crystal Palace South, Upper Norwood, Thornton Heath and South Norwood.

Croydon North West covers the areas of Norbury, Pollards Hill, West Thornton Heath and Bensham Manor.

Croydon Central

Croydon Central East covers the areas of Woodside, Shirley, Addiscombe East, and Park Hill.

Croydon Central West covers the areas of Broad Green, Fairfield, Addiscombe West, Selhurst, Waddon and South Croydon.

Croydon South

Croydon South East covers the areas of New Addington, Fieldway, Addington Village, Forestdale, Monks Hill and Selsdon.

Croydon South West covers the areas of Purley, Woodcote, Riddlesdown, Purley Oaks, Sanderstead, Kenley, Coulsdon and Old Coulsdon.

Each of the 6 localities holds a LCP meeting every 4 months, so there is an overall programme of 18 LCP meetings a year, although much of the important work takes place outside of these meetings in smaller ‘Action Groups’.

On average, 30 or so local VCS organisations and Council/Health teams are represented at each meeting which gives an excellent inclusive and representative nature to the work, but LCPs are currently focussing on how to attract more local residents, ‘Active Citizens’, to make Local Plans even stronger and more comprehensive.

More information can be found on the Croydon Voluntary Action Local Community Partnerships website including dates of future meetings that everyone is welcome to attend.  

Adult Social Care and Health Strategy: Croydon Neighbourhood Grant

The Croydon Neighbourhood Grant programme has now ended, with £237,977 of the £240,000 fund awarded directly to local community organisations.

Croydon residents came together at community venues in all 6 neighbourhood areas to vote for the projects they wanted to see funded.

A total of 26 community organisations have received funding to deliver a range of projects, including:

  • support for unpaid carers
  • healthy ageing activities
  • wellbeing sessions
  • community connection initiatives

These projects have been shaped by what residents told us their neighbourhoods need and will support delivery of the Adult Social Care and Health Strategy.

Organisations the community have chosen to receive funding

Thornton Heath (North-East)

  • St Paul's Thornton Heath: a free monthly community brunch with accessible transport, for carers and older residents at risk of isolation.
  • Croydon African Caribbean Family Organisation: weekly wellbeing sessions over 12 months for older residents, supported by trained volunteers.
  • Upper Norwood Association for Community Care (UNACC): exercise and wellbeing classes and nutritious meals to help older people stay active and independent.
  • Cassandra Centre: a weekly Over 50s club offering a safe space, emotional support and practical help for women and families.

East Croydon (Central-West)

  • Friends of Haling Grove: involving local people in caring for and regenerating areas of the park.
  • Knowledge 4 Practice: healthy eating and cooking classes, health checks and support to help residents build healthy habits.
  • Shining Roots CIC: a pantry offering free surplus food to residents facing financial pressure.
  • Asian Resource Centre of Croydon: a monthly wellbeing and respite programme for women, including fitness sessions and creative activities.
  • Westbury Community Project: a five-day-a-week wellbeing and social programme for residents aged 65 and over.

New Addington and Selsdon (South-East)

  • New Addington Good Samaritans: a community club and day centre offering older residents company, activities and affordable light lunches.
  • Survivors of abuse: eight-week, trauma-informed recovery programmes for adults affected by childhood abuse, domestic abuse or neglect.
  • Selsdon Community Clubhouse: a community hub for older residents and unpaid carers, with activities and meals to reduce loneliness.
  • The Family Centre Fieldway New Addington: welfare rights, financial and crisis support for residents with wellbeing needs.

Purley (South-West)

  • Purley & Coulsdon Clubs for the Elderly (PACE): freshly cooked lunches, games and companionship for residents over 60.
  • South East Cancer Help Centre: counselling, complementary therapies and group activities for older people affected by cancer, and their carers.
  • Resolving Door Project: an open peer support group, in the community and online, offering a safe space for emotional support.
  • The Story Sanctuary: a new Welcome and Connection Lead to help people find, and feel confident joining, local activities.

Mayday (North-West)

  • Norbury Park Lawn Tennis Club: inclusive tennis sessions, starting with Walking Tennis, for adults who are inactive, older or isolated.
  • The Raghuvanshi Association: a recreation and social club for older residents, with meals, games and companionship.
  • Empowering Tamil Families: a weekly wellbeing hub for Tamil elders and adults, with exercise, health talks in Tamil and one-to-one help with forms and assessments.
  • Society of Visionaries CIC: clinics giving unpaid carers advice on their rights, financial support and employment.

Woodside and Shirley (Central-East)

  • Play Place Innov8 CIC (Shirley Community Library): a weekly community café for older residents, and support for a Memory Café for people with memory-related conditions and their carers.
  • Swiss Touch Electrics: a handyman and minor electrical repairs service for unpaid carers.
  • Shirley Neighbourhood Care and Addiscombe Neighbourhood Care Association: lunch clubs three days a week, plus shopping trips and outings for older residents.
  • Amanah Health and Wellbeing: community health and wellbeing sessions, with culturally appropriate advice, for adults in Croydon's Asian, Global Majority and Muslim communities.
  • Care Leaders Group CIC: accessible fitness and activity sessions for adults with learning disabilities and autism.
     

What happens next?

We will continue to support funded organisations through:

  • learning sessions 
  • light-touch monitoring via regular check-ins and activity data collection
  • reports from all funded organisations in March 2027
  • a programme review and shared learning event once all projects have been delivered

There is also an optional, more detailed evaluation programme to help funded organisations build an evidence base for future funding opportunities.

Contact us

If you have any questions, please email: talk2socialcare@croydon.gov.uk.