South West Provider Collaborative celebrates national recognition for lived experience and co-production
We are delighted to celebrate the South West Provider Collaborative’s success at the National Lived Experience Awards 2026, recognising the outstanding contribution of Experts by Experience (EbyEs) and the growing impact of co-production across our services.
Hope and Positivity Award - Winner
A huge congratulations to Gracie Haward, Expert by Experience, whose Distress Management Booklet won the Hope and Positivity Award.
Developed from her own lived experience, Gracie created this peer-to-peer resource to provide practical emotional support tools for young people experiencing distress. The booklet is now being used across South West Tier 4 CAMHS inpatient units, demonstrating how lived experience can be transformed into practical resources that make a real difference to young people.
This national award is fantastic recognition of Gracie's contribution and of the importance of creating opportunities for Experts by Experience to shape resources and improve care.
Family Ambassador Service - Finalist
Our Family Ambassador Service was also recognised nationally, reaching the final of the Community and Collaboration Award.
This achievement reflects the continued contribution of our Family Ambassadors in supporting families with a child receiving care within Tier 4 CAMHS services across the South West.
Siblings / Think Family Project - Finalists
Hayley Johnson and Lucy McMahon, Experts by Experience, involved in our Perinatal Siblings / Think Family project, also reached the final of the Outstanding Leadership Award.
Their involvement highlights the importance of lived experience in understanding the wider impact of perinatal mental health difficulties on mothers, children and the whole family.
Celebrating the impact of co-production
These achievements provide national recognition of the work taking place across the South West Provider Collaborative to value lived experience and embed meaningful co-production.
From developing practical resources with young people, to ensuring families influence services and bringing lived experience into the development of Perinatal Services, our Experts by Experience continue to make a valuable contribution to improving care.
A huge congratulations to Gracie, our family ambassadors and our Perinatal Experts by Experience, Hayley and Lucy, on these fantastic achievements.
Their success is a wonderful reflection of the commitment, expertise and passion that EbyE bring to our work across the South West.
