Teams ToC

👥 How self-managing care teams shape meaningful, flexible support

Teams are at the heart of Equal Care’s model: where the people giving and receiving care come together as equals to build mutual relationships, organise support, and make key decisions together. Our Theory of Change maps out how these team structures and practices contribute to wider outcomes in care, trust, and well-being.

Below you’ll see how the outputs associated with Teams connect to our broader care outcomes.

Teams Outputs

These are the specific outputs we associate with our team-based way of working:

• Teams collaborate with the social workers and/or other social care professionals supporting the people they care for.

• People receiving care build their own team, choosing friends, family members, local volunteers and vetted Equal Care workers as team members.

• Key operational roles for each team to self-manage are shared amongst team members as "Team Hats".

• Teams operate semi-autonomously from the local circle with distributed decision-making authority.

• Care workers choose what their hours are and where they will work.

• Peer learning communities, observation, training, and coaching are team-specific.

• Care workers are paid more.

• Key roles or "Team Hats" are nominated by team members sociocratically.

• Multi-stakeholder service evaluation measures the social climate, individual well-being and quality of life of Team Members.

• People giving and getting support consent to each other in a mutual match.

Teams Outcomes

These outcomes show how team structures support empowerment, stability, connection, and trust:

• Care workers are wealthier.

• Care workers have control over their work schedules and locations.

• People getting support and their key family members feel more in control of their care and support.

• Care workers feel more secure in their lives and livelihoods.

• People have the freedom to decide upon and co-produce the care together.

• Local circles reflect diverse membership and collaborate with aligned organizations.

• Peer support is widespread and normalized amongst all groups.

• People giving and receiving support make use of local community spaces to meet peers, hold gatherings, and self-organise.

• People getting support are more connected to the people, places and things they care about.

• Care and support exists in greater abundance.

• People require less paid care and support over the long term.

• Meal times are more social experiences.

• Care & support meets more of people's quality of life needs.

• People providing support can identify and address potential issues faster, leading to fewer mistakes.

• People getting support and family members have more trust in their care workers and Equal Care.

• Teams and Circles foster trusting and collaborative relationships with health and social care professionals.

• People feel safer.

• People experience lasting care and support relationships.

• Care workers grow in expertise.

• Care workers feel supported and trusted.

• More people feel the power balance is right.

• Support is flexible, organised directly between people and adapted to the specific needs of people receiving care.

• More trusting, equitable relationships.

• Team-based learning groups, peer-supervision and coaching enhance people’s skills and knowledge.