Carers
Adult social care workforce receives £500m boost
People working in adult social care in England are set to benefit from a £500m boost that will go towards improving the recruitment and retention of staff.
A fresh vision
A new report from Newton and the County Councils Network presents a vision for what the future of children’s social care could be and defines an optimised model for delivering it, say Luke Tregidgo and James Maker.
Creating a brighter future
Imagine what adult social care could achieve if we back the White Paper’s ambitions and principles, says president of ADASS Stephen Chandler.
Social care reform plans fall 'woefully short'
The Government has ‘fallen woefully short of the mark’ with its proposals for social care reform, according to shadow minister for social care Liz Kendall.
Leading the way on diversity and inclusion in Hertfordshire
The shocking murders of George Floyd and Sarah Everard have further strengthened Hertfordshire’s commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion and tackling harassment and abuse, says Owen Mapley.
Solving care needs through social change
More money on its own will not be enough to fix social care - and developing the required whole-system approach means local government has to be in the lead, says Polly Mackenzie.
Increase workers' pay to improve care
Pay rises for adult social care workers can support local economies, boost recruitment and retention, and improve care, according to The Living Wage Foundation.
We need to pause the cheering on social care
The Government’s social care announcement deserves only two hurrahs, says Paul Najsarek. The knock on effect can only be substantially increased costs for local government, he adds.
Social care chief reports 'unprecedented' pressures across the country
Isle of Wight Council’s social care chief has said a local incident where vulnerable people could have been left without care highlights the ‘unprecedented’ pressures happening across the country.
The local government workforce: equal by default
The APSE Commission message is clear: we need a well-trained, properly rewarded workforce to meet local public services’ future challenges, says Heather Wakefield.
It’s not all about the money
It is dangerous if we let the discussion about the reform of social care become exclusively about funding, says Dr Jonathan Carr-West.
The public understands there has to be a way to foot the social care bill
What is concerning about the last few days’ debate on social care reform is just how narrow it has become, says Heather Jameson.
Squeezing the balloon
Resources for social care are down and demand is pent up and rising says Iain MacBeath, but now must be the time to realise people’s ambitions for more flexible personalised support.
The importance of caring for the carers
During Carers Week, Sally Hopper outlines how her own experiences have given her an invaluable perspective in advocating for carers at work at Hertfordshire CC.
A singular opportunity for the social care workforce
Better pay is crucial to stopping workforce ‘churn’, says Stephen Chandler. The impact of COVID-19 on the economy is a chance to highlight social care as a growing sector that can offer secure careers and be a local engine of recovery, he adds.
Government should invest wisely to harness ‘robot power’
Steve Carefull examines how we can create the conditions for initiatives such as cobots to be scaled into the mainstream to mitigate the UK’s social care workforce challenge.
One in nine care workers not tested weekly
A government pledge to test all care home staff every seven days is not being met, according to a survey published today.
Persist and survive
We will get through and beyond the ‘six-month wall’ and survive this crisis by working together and looking out for each other, says president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services James Bullion.
Pay boost for care workers following tribunal
A group of homecare workers have been awarded £100,000 in backdated pay in a tribunal ruling that could have further implications for the sector.
COVID-19: A perfect storm for technology innovation in social care?
Carers must be enabled to remain in the profession for longer, say Graham Allen and Steve Carefull, and early indications from Hampshire suggest ‘cobots’ may be one way this can be achieved.
