Who sits on the advisory forum?

Our advisory forum is made up of a majority of members of the public who have used our service. We also have representatives from local authorities and social care providers, as well as those who act as advocates for the public such as advisory bodies, MPs and councillors.

What's the advisory forum's role?

The forum:

• acts as a critical friend;
• advises us on the accessibility of our service
• gives us direct feedback about the user experience; and
• shares views to make sure our service meets the needs of all the people who need us.

Please refer to our Terms of Reference for more information.

How do you choose the members of the public who sit on the forum?

When we are recruiting new members, we write to people who have used our service and have told us they are happy to be contacted by us again.  

We invite them to apply by producing a short statement about their experience and why they want to join. A panel of LGSCO staff consider the applications and look to choose people from a range of backgrounds and with different experiences of our service.

Membership usually lasts for 12 months.

How often does the advisory forum meet?

The forum meets twice a year, usually online. Members are also occasionally consulted on other topics outside of those meetings.

Are the advisory forum members paid?

No, we don't pay people for being on our forum.

How can I find out what the forum discussed?

We publish the minutes from the meetings below. The comments made are not attributed to individuals.