How ‘Big Chats’ bring co-production to life across children’s and adult social care

Some of the most powerful conversations at the National Children’s and Adults Social Care Conference (NCASC) don’t happen on the main stage, they happen in the ‘Big Chats’. Led by people with lived experience of care and support, these lively sessions aim to create a welcoming space to explore the issues that matter most to people and communities. The Big Chats bring co-production to life – showing what’s possible when people come together as equal partners to listen, learn and shape the future of care. 

We invited some past participants to share their reflections on the Big Chats for co-production week 2026. Here, Jessica Holmes, Senior Manager at IMPOWER, reflects back on her contribution to Big Chat sessions over recent years:

I’ve worked at IMPOWER for nearly three years, having started my career as a secondary school English teacher. My background is in education and SEND leadership and I care deeply about helping children and families get the support, opportunities and understanding they need to thrive.  

This can only happen when we work alongside people and really listen to them to improve their lives. So, when I was given the opportunity to organise and facilitate a Big Chat session at NCASC, saying yes was a no brainer.  

These sessions are led by people with lived experience of care and support alongside sector leaders and policymakers. They provide an open forum to share and discuss key insights across adult and children’s social care to explore the issues that matter most to people and their communities. Some of the most powerful conversations at NCASC happen at the Big Chat sessions.  

I’ve been lucky enough to contribute to these sessions over the years. Workshops I’ve facilitated have included a conversation between a mainstream primary headteacher, a SENDCo and a parent. This reflected on the support that had enabled a young boy with SEND to thrive, while also looking ahead to the challenges of transitioning into secondary education. 

Another year, I brought together a fostering team manager, a care leaver and her former personal advisor to share their experience of navigating parenthood. Alongside the area’s corporate director, the conversation explored how relationships, trust and lived experience can shape better support for care experienced young people. 

Although the topics were different, the messages were strikingly similar. In both sessions, we heard how barriers to inclusion grow when people are not fully understood. And how change happens when individuals are given trust, challenge, autonomy and crucially, a voice. The discussions didn’t stop when the sessions ended. Seeing ‘mini Big Chats’ spark across the room was a clear sign that these conversations resonated with people. 

These sessions are a powerful reminder of why we do what we do, but more than that, they create the space to explore these issues in real depth. In a busy conference environment, they offer a rare moment to pause, listen and reflect together. For me, that is where co-production begins to move from principle to practice. Big Chats create that opportunity and in doing so, they help ensure that lived experience remains at the centre of how we think, learn and improve. 

Big Chats will be returning to NCASC 2026 taking place 11-13 November in Liverpool. Tickets are on sale here: https://ncasc.info/.

If you are interested in finding out more about being involved in the Big Chats at this year’s conference, we’d love to hear from you – please get in touch with: charlotte.newman@adass.org.uk.