West Midlands Association of Directors of Adult Social Services West Midlands

What West Midlands Association of Directors of Adult Social Services West Midlands does

West Midlands Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (WM-ADASS) is a non-profit regional professional association serving Directors of Adult Social Services (DASS) across 14 local authorities in the West Midlands of England. Operating under the national Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) framework, WM-ADASS coordinates regional improvement programmes, specialised practitioner networks (Mental Health, Safeguarding, DoLS, Co-production, Principal Social Workers, Research), and produces shared resources adopted nationally — including the DoLS suite of forms and the recently launched AI Playbook.

The organisation delivers its mission through a combination of peer-learning programmes (Practice Review, Peer Challenge, Associates), co-produced frameworks (Regional Co-production Advisory Network, Recipe for Co-production, Six Capabilities for Resilience), research collaborations with NIHR and the University of Birmingham, and policy-shaping work such as the AGNI Supreme Court response and Liberty Protection Safeguards preparedness. Its 11 staff are supplemented by a bench of Associates with decades of frontline social work and commissioning experience. Customer concentration is structurally high but by design: the entire membership is the 14 West Midlands unitary and metropolitan councils, with engagement via a 100+ attendee annual Improvement for All event, webinar series, Vimeo showcase, and dedicated network pages.

WM-ADASS does not sell commercial products. It is funded through contributions from its 14 member local authorities and project-related grants (e.g., a July 2026 DHSC workforce case study). The January 2026 launch of the AI Playbook and AI Coaches — avatar-based lived-experience agents distributed via the Bridgit consumer platform — marks the organisation's most prominent productisation move to date, extending its reach from local-authority decision-makers into unpaid-carer and self-management audiences. AI capability sits in content curation and deployment rather than model development, with core technology described as a regional adult social care improvement network enriched by co-produced AI guidance and third-party assistive technology integrations (Recreo VR, voice assistants).

Name

West Midlands Association of Directors of Adult Social Services West Midlands

Legal name

West Midlands Association of Directors of Adult Social Services

Website

https://wm-adass.org.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

West Midlands ADASS is a non-profit regional professional association serving Directors of Adult Social Services across 14 West Midlands local authorities, coordinating improvement networks, co-produced resources, the AI Playbook, and DoLS/Mental Health policy responses on behalf of its member councils.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Shrewsbury

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

WM-ADASS is a regional professional association that coordinates adult social care improvement across 14 West Midlands local authorities in England. It delivers peer networks, safeguarding and DoLS resources, co-production frameworks, research programmes, workforce development, and Future Thinking scenarios for member Directors of Adult Social Services. It also produces the AI Playbook and avatar-based AI Coaches to help people accessing social care understand AI tools.

Product overview

West Midlands ADASS is a regional association for Directors of Adult Social Services, offering a portfolio of programs, resources, and networks rather than a commercial software product. The core offerings include the AI Playbook and AI Coaches—co-created resources helping people who access social care services understand and use AI tools. Additional products include safeguarding resources (DoLS forms, directories, newsletters), co-production frameworks (Regional Co-production Advisory Network, Recipe for Co-production Model), the Improvement for All programme, Mental Health Network, and Future Thinking frameworks including the Six Capabilities for Resilience and Scenario Toolkit. The organization also produces webinars and organizes events including the International Conference on Integrated Care 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AI Playbook A co-produced playbook exploring artificial intelligence possibilities for people who access social care services and others interested in AI for self-management. Provides real stories, practical guidance, and clear values to help users feel more confident and informed in the digital world.
• AI Coaches Avatar-based AI coaches (Caring Keymn, Mobility Reshma, Neuro Kieran, Vision Darren, Recovery Pete) representing WM-ADASS team members with lived experience, providing guidance on AI tools via text or voice through the Bridgit platform.
• West Midlands Directory for Safeguarding and Wellbeing Services A directory listing key safeguarding and wellbeing services across the West Midlands and nationally, providing quick access to information, support, and action resources for individuals and practitioners.
• DoLS (Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards) Suite of Forms and Guidance Comprehensive suite of DoLS forms (Form 1 through Form 11) updated by WM-ADASS, covering standard and urgent requests, BIA assessments, renewals, mental health eligibility, authorizations, suspensions, and reviews.
• Regional Co-production Advisory Network A community of people with lived experience from across the West Midlands working with WM-ADASS to improve personalised care and support, raising awareness of co-production and influencing regional care and health improvement.
• Recipe for Co-production Model A co-produced model supporting local authorities in their co-production journey, developed through the Regional Co-production Advisory Network and Co-production Leads Network.
• Improvement for All: Stronger Together Programme Regional improvement approach supporting adult social care across the West Midlands, recognising and celebrating regional improvement progress, shaping improvement opportunities, and building a shared evidence base for assurance, learning and innovation.
• Mental Health Network Regional forum launched October 2021 providing peer support, challenge and learning across mental health social care, focusing on Section 117/CHC interface, Mental Health Act reform readiness, and CQC preparedness.
• DoLS Signatories Newsletters Regular newsletters for DoLS signatories and authorisers keeping them updated with practice changes and case law, including guidance on Supreme Court decisions like AGNI.
• West Midlands Anti-slavery Network Modern Slavery Toolkit Toolkit for practitioners on recognising and understanding modern slavery to work together to end trafficking and exploitation, part of the Safeguarding network resources.
• Six Capabilities for Resilience Framework Framework identifying six building blocks for a resilient social care system in 2035: collaborative working, community asset building, data and evidence, shifting the narrative, social care careers, and technology for people.
• Scenario Toolkit A ready-to-use workshop resource enabling councils to engage stakeholders in thinking about critical building blocks for a resilient Social Care system in 2035.
• AI in Social Care Webinar Series Webinar series for adult social care professionals exploring the transformative impact of AI on the sector, covering back office and public-facing AI applications with time-saving potential.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10% increase in DoLS applications processed in West Midlands region (from 34,755 to 38,525)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• University of BirminghamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch programme partner collaborating on research pathways in social work and social care. Sandra Simpson from WM-ADASS speaks at university events. University hosts the Adult Social Care Commissioning Community of Practice connection day at Edgbaston Park Hotel and Conference Centre.
• NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch programme partner for the Research Pathways in Social Work and Social Care event. Angela Mitchell from WM-ADASS appointed as Lived Experience Contributor with NIHR.
• Strategy Unit (NHS Midlands and Lancashire CSU)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on future thinking scenario planning exercise (January-May 2023) to identify building blocks for a resilient social care system in 2035.
• Sandwell Metropolitan Borough CouncilsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through International Recruitment Programme to deliver Exploitation Case Assistance Sessions supporting professionals managing complex exploitation concerns.
• West Midlands EmployerssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAI Festival collaboration in January 2026 where WM ADASS launched its AI Playbook at the West Midlands Employers AI Festival.
• SCIE (Social Care Institute for Excellence)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Co-production Week, with WM-ADASS leading a session on the AI Playbook as part of SCIE's Co-production Week programme.
• Coventry UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSindhu Khanna, PhD student at Coventry University specialising in wellbeing and the arts, presenting at WM-ADASS Communities of Practice event.
• Kaushalya UKsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRitu Sharma, founder of Kaushalya UK and women empowerment ambassador, presenting at WM-ADASS Communities of Practice event exploring adult social care research within South Asian community.
• BridgitsupportingTechnology or IntegrationAI-powered digital solution for unpaid carers deployed by Sandwell Council, providing information, guidance, advice and support. AI coaches from WM-ADASS AI Playbook accessible via Bridgit platform.
• MicrosoftsupportingTechnology or IntegrationPresented AI in social care webinar for WM ADASS on 13 October 2023, discussing back office and public facing uses of AI with time-saving potential.
• ADASS (Association of Directors of Adult Social Services)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational parent organization. WM-ADASS participates in national ADASS networks, shares resources (DoLS Priority Tool adopted nationally), and ADASS Senior Officer provides regional webinars on Mental Health Act reforms.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Local Government Association (LGA): National body representing English councils, including on adult social care policy, funding, and improvement. Comparable as a coordinating membership body that supports local authorities with policy and improvement resources alongside the regional ADASS network.
• Skills for Care: National workforce organisation for adult social care in England, providing data, training, and workforce development resources. Overlaps with WM-ADASS on workforce partnership, international recruitment, and adult social care training content.
• NHS England Adult Social Care Team: National NHS body with policy and improvement responsibilities spanning adult social care integration. Comparable to WM-ADASS on integrated care, commissioning, and workforce policy, and the partner that WM-ADASS increasingly engages with via the Strategy Unit.
• Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS): National parent body for WM-ADASS and the other regional ADASS branches. ADASS operates across all English regions with policy, practice, and workforce programmes, providing the national umbrella and resource-adoption route that WM-ADASS outputs flow into.

Direct peers

• Carers Trust: National charity supporting unpaid carers, intersecting directly with WM-ADASS's unpaid carer audience and AI Playbook/AI Coaches content (e.g., Caring Keymn). Both organisations centre unpaid carer voice and co-produced resources in adult social care.
• Think Local Act Personal (TLAP): National partnership programme focused on personalised, community-based social care and co-production. Directly comparable to WM-ADASS on co-production frameworks, lived-experience engagement, and personalised care practice improvement.
• Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE): National charity improving social care practice through co-production, guidance, and workforce resources. WM-ADASS collaborates with SCIE on Co-production Week and shares co-production methodology, making it the closest direct peer on practice improvement.
• Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH): Membership association for Directors of Public Health in local authorities, structured as a regional network model similar to WM-ADASS. Comparable peer for cross-council improvement, workforce, and policy coordination across England.
• National Voices: Coalition of health and care charities advocating for people with lived experience. WM-ADASS Associate Keymn Whervin was previously Head of Experience at National Voices, and both organisations centre lived-experience leadership and co-production in health and social care.

Others

• Care Quality Commission (CQC): Independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. WM-ADASS dedicates programmes (Practice Review, Peer Challenge, Mental Health Network) to CQC assurance readiness, making CQC the principal regulatory counterpart rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WMADASS
• YouTubevimeo.com/showcase/wm-adass
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/adass-west-midlands

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about West Midlands Association of Directors of Adult Social Services West Midlands