The Sheffield (England) City Council used an advisory group approach to solicit citizen participation in community planning. Two important lessons were: ensuring that all target groups are represented and providing training and information to prepare citizen representatives for their consulting role. (SK)

This discussion of the participation of employees, voluntary and community groups, and consumers and parents in community social services planning traces recent origins of British thinking on the subject, analyzes what social services planners can learn from physical planners, and discusses methods of participation for each type of group. (JT)