Principles and standards

When used alongside legislation, standards and national guidance, they ensure our approach is:

• people led
• inclusive
• ethical
• impactful

These principles support the ethical involvement of people. They ensure everyone has a voice in shaping decisions about their lives and care.

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Our guiding principles

• Promote the right to be involved: We help people understand their right to influence decisions. We support their participation in inclusive, respectful, and trauma-informed ways.
• Plan with purpose and tailor methods: We define clear goals and choose engagement methods that fit the context, environment, and needs of those involved. 
• Communicate clearly and consistently:  We provide timely, transparent updates throughout the engagement process. This ensures everyone is informed and involved. 
• Work together to shape decisions: We strive to share ownership of decision making. This enables everyone to have a say and influence the outcome. 
• Continuous learning and evaluation:  We reflect on and evaluate each stage of engagement. This deepens understanding and improves future practice. 
• Embed safe and trauma-informed practice:  We design engagement processes that are respectful, empowering, trauma-informed, and protective of people with lived and living experience. 

National Engagement Standards

The Scottish National Standards for Community Engagement are good practice principles for improving community engagement.  

Each of the standards provide detailed performance statements that support everyone involved. They can be used to achieve high quality and impactful engagement. They describe what good engagement looks like, and how to achieve it. 

There are seven key standards, each with a specific focus: 

• Inclusion: make sure the right people are involved, especially those affected by the issue.
• Support: help people take part by removing barriers and offering the support they need. 
• Planning: be clear about why you’re engaging and what you hope to achieve. 
• Working together: build good relationships and work as a team to reach shared goals. 
• Methods: use ways of engaging that suit the people and the situation. 
• Communication: keep everyone informed before, during, and after the engagement. 
• Impact: show what’s changed as a result and use what you’ve learned to improve future work. 

National Engagement Guidance 

Planning with People: community engagement and participation guidance (2024)

The Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) have developed community engagement and participation guidance. This sets out how NHS boards, local authorities and Integration Joint Boards should involve communities when planning or changing health and social care services.   

The key messages in this guidance include: 

• Involving people is essential
  Services work better when they’re shaped by those who use and deliver them. 
• Working together is important
  Teaming up with communities leads to better experiences for everyone. 
• Statutory duties apply
  Organisations must involve the public by law, even when budgets are tight.
• Clear roles and responsibilities
  The guidance helps organisations understand what they’re responsible for and how to do it well. 
• Make engagement proportionate
  Involvement should be meaningful but also match the size and impact of the change.