“Designing my support in daily living”–Co-production and feasibility of a brief tool for enhancing service user engagement among neurodivergent young adults

Abstract

Purpose: Social services in Sweden are increasingly offering support to neurodivergent young adults in their daily living. Effective methods are needed to encourage young service users to actively engage in their support. This study aimed to (I) describe the process of co-producing a tool to facilitate service user engagement, and (II) explore the tool’s feasibility. Materials and methods: The co-production phase consisted of workshops with service users (n = 7) and support workers (n = 3) from three municipalities. Feasibility was assessed using a convergent mixed methods approach. Service users aged 18–29 (n = 15) and their support workers (n = 11) were invited to use the tool for four weeks. Service users completed pre- and post-measurements, and both service users (n = 12) and support workers (n = 8) were interviewed. Quantitative and qualitative findings were integrated using a narrative-weaving approach. Results: The co-production phase resulted in a booklet containing questions that explored personal preferences. Despite implementation difficulties during the feasibility assessment, which led to a lower-than-expected completion rate (n = 10), both service users and support workers found the tool relevant and helpful. Conclusions: Co-production is a promising approach for enhancing service user engagement in this service setting. In further evaluation of the tool, organizational-level implementation barriers must be addressed.