Observations about ToC Outcomes

What our outcomes say about the kind of care system we're building

The outcomes represented in our Theory of Change give a comprehensive picture of the difference we’re aiming to make. They reflect the collective priorities of those who give, receive, and organise care within Equal Care and describe what success looks like when care is co-produced, relationship-centred, and community-rooted.

Themes in our outcomes

Care Worker Security, Growth and Control

Focuses on job stability, fair pay, professional development, and flexibility in working conditions. Ensuring care workers feel secure, valued and supported is essential for sustaining high-quality care.

• Enhanced security and livelihood for care workers

• Improved economic wellbeing of care workers

• Professional growth of care workers

• Control over work conditions

Co-produced, Person-Centred Care

Emphasises autonomy, co-design and a focus on individuals' wider lives — from emotional wellbeing to meaningful connections and personal preferences.

• Freedom and co-production of care

• Meeting quality of life needs

• Connection to personal interests and community

Relational and Trust-Based Teams

Stresses the importance of building and maintaining strong, respectful, and enduring relationships between care teams, individuals, and families.

• Enhanced trust and control for individuals and families

• Supportive and trusting team relationships

• Long-lasting care relationships

Peer Support and Learning

Normalises mentoring, mutual learning and peer-to-peer development, recognising that people grow best when supported by one another.

• Enhancement through peer learning and coaching

• Normalisation of peer support and flexible care

Community Integration and Resources

Care services thrive when they connect deeply with local people, networks and spaces. These themes celebrate gifted time, shared resources and active community links.

• Benefiting from gifted care and community assets

• Utilisation of local community spaces

• Community networks and partnerships

Social and Preventative Models of Care

Models that encourage preventative support, reduce reliance on formal services, and put social interaction and independence at the heart of care.

• Social meal experiences

• Extended living at home

• Reduced long-term need for paid care

Culture of Safety and Responsiveness

Highlights responsive systems for safety, risk and support - addressing issues quickly, building trust and making everyone feel secure.

• Enhanced safety and trust for all stakeholders

• Efficient issue identification and resolution

Broader Social Impact

Care doesn't stop at the individual - it strengthens the social fabric. This theme reflects a deeper culture of kindness, empathy and community connection. Through co-production, shared governance and mutual support, individuals gain confidence and agency to influence wider social change.

• Growing community kindness and connection

• participation in service design

• shared ownership

• community decision-making and collaborative problem-solving

A web of interconnected outcomes

These outcomes don’t stand alone - they’re deeply interconnected. Improvements in one area tend to ripple through the whole system:

• Job security and control over working conditions enhance care worker wellbeing, which in turn strengthens continuity and quality of care.

• When people receiving support feel listened to and co-produce their care, they’re more likely to stay connected to what matters to them - building trust, relationships, and positive outcomes.

• Community partnerships, shared spaces and peer support all help create networks of care that are resilient, responsive and rooted in the places people live.

Relationships at the centre

The outcomes in our Theory of Change reflect a shift from a transactional view of care to one that values relationships, autonomy, and mutual responsibility. Success isn’t only about tasks being completed - it’s about the experience of being supported, the trust between people, and the strength of the wider network.

When care is co-produced and grounded in trust, everyone benefits. Care teams become more resilient. People feel more connected. Communities grow stronger. That’s the kind of system we’re working to build.