A three-year qualifying training for social workers was introduced in England in 2003. The successful completion of the programme leads to the award of a degree at honours level that is the new professional qualification for social work. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) that run these programmes are required by government to involve service users and carers as stakeholders in all parts of the design and delivery of the programme. This guide focuses on how partnerships between degree programme providers and service user and carer organisations might be formed and sustained. It goes step by step through the stages and processes of planning and preparing for active and purposeful partnerships. This guide also outlines the issues that have to be considered and some of the options for action at each point. It covers the principles, practicalities and range of approaches to building and sustaining these partnerships that were evident at the time; these are useful and applicable to anyone developing service users’ and carers’ involvement, in all types of training for social work and social care and in the design and delivery of services.