Campaigners said that building a new care and support system was the biggest political challenge facing government in the 21st century. The existing system was 'broken', failing on issues of quality, choice, and control.
Source: It's Everybody's Business: Care and support for the 21st century, Help the Aged (020 7278 1114), Counsel and Care and Carers UK
Links: Report | Counsel and Care press release
Date: 2008-Nov
The Law Commission set out the key areas that it believed should form part of its review of adult social care law.
Source: Adult Social Care: Scoping Report, Law Commission (020 7453 1220)
Links: Report | Summary | Law Commission press release | Scope press release | in Control press release | Telegraph report
Date: 2008-Nov
A paper said that any new settlement on long-term care and support needed to address the apportionment of responsibility for its delivery as well as its funding. With the state's capacity limited and family input likely to decline, the wider community needed to expect to play a growing role. This offered an opportunity to end social care's marginalization.
Source: David Brindle, Care and Support – A Community Responsibility?, Joseph Rowntree Foundation (01904 629241)
Date: 2008-Nov
A paper examined the experiences of social care reform in other countries, and set out a number of principles that should underpin reform of care and support arrangements in England. Responsibility for funding and providing social care was a collective, welfare state responsibility rather than an individual, private responsibility. Social care arrangements in many other countries were founded on principles of universality – those who were not poor, as well as those who were poor, were eligible.
Source: Caroline Glendinning and David Bell, Rethinking Social Care and Support: What can England learn from other countries?, Joseph Rowntree Foundation (01904 629241)
Date: 2008-Nov
An article examined policies being implemented in England aimed at increasing choice and control for disabled and older people in relation to social care support and services. There were very important reasons for taking choice seriously: but a consumerist approach, combined with the use of market mechanisms for implementing this, might be highly problematic as the means of creating opportunities for increased choice and, on its own, risked introducing new forms of disadvantage and social exclusion.
Source: Caroline Glendinning, 'Increasing choice and control for older and disabled people: a critical review of new developments in England', Social Policy and Administration, Volume 42 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-Oct
The social care inspectorate highlighted flaws in the system of determining eligibility for care in England. People looking for support frequently failed to have an opportunity to have their needs properly taken into account, and to receive advice about the choices open to them. People who did not meet the eligibility criteria managed as best they could – but often at great cost in financial, emotional, personal, and physical terms, both to them and to their family carers. The report made a number of recommendations designed to improve the operation of eligibility criteria. It recommended a clearer, simpler, framework for deciding who was a priority for publicly-funded support. It called for the development of a single, national formula for determining individual budgets, in order to increase transparency and make it easier for people to take their assessment from one local authority to another.
Source: Cutting the Cake Fairly: CSCI review of eligibility criteria for social care, Commission for Social Care Inspection (0845 015 0120)
Links: Report | CSCI press release | Age Concern press release | Help the Aged press release | Mencap press release | UKHCA press release | Alzheimers Society press release | Community Care report | BBC report
Date: 2008-Oct
The government began consultation on guidance (first issued in 2000) designed to prevent the abuse of, and crimes against, people in vulnerable situations – whether living in the community or in care homes, hospitals or supported housing.
Source: Safeguarding Adults: A Consultation on the Review of the 'No Secrets' Guidance, Department of Health (08701 555455)
Links: Consultation document | DH press release | Mencap press release | AEA press release | BBC report | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Oct
A report examined the personalization of adult social care services. It explored what personalization was, and placed the transformation of adult social care in the wider public service reform agenda.
Source: Sarah Carr, Personalisation: A Rough Guide, Report 20, Social Care Institute for Excellence (020 7089 6840)
Date: 2008-Oct
An article examined the process and outcomes of modernization in adult social care in England and Wales. It highlighted the emerging focus on individualization, and on user-directed and controlled services. The existing focus of modernization involved a reduced emphasis on structural and institutional approaches to change, and an increased emphasis on changes in the behaviours and roles of adult social care service users.
Source: Janet Newman, Caroline Glendinning and Michael Hughes, 'Beyond modernisation? Social care and the transformation of welfare governance', Journal of Social Policy, Volume 37 Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-Oct
The Scottish Government published (following consultation) reforms to the system for protecting vulnerable groups. The plans were intended to ensure that people who came into regular contact with vulnerable groups through their work did not have a history of abusive behaviour, while also creating a proportionate approach to vetting, ending the need for multiple disclosure checks.
Source: Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007: Scottish Vetting and Barring Scheme, Scottish Government, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Oct
A paper reviewed some of the key proposals in adult social care of the previous ten years from an equity perspective. It said that practical policies could be developed that were informed by clearly stated equity principles, which served to ensure that the most disadvantaged groups of people were treated more fairly.
Source: Justin Keen, Does Anyone Care About Fairness in Adult Social Care?, Joseph Rowntree Foundation (01904 629241)
Date: 2008-Sep
A paper said that if social care services were to transform people's lives, they needed to be based on a deeper understanding of human relationships and the nature of duty and obligation inherent within them. Lessons from different generations and cultures about the importance of 'duty and obligation' could provide powerful levers for change, and strengthen community and family relationships. We needed to increase our understanding about barriers to citizenship and participation in the context of intergenerational and intercultural obligations.
Source: Kalyani Gandhi and Helen Bowers, 'Duty and Obligation': The invisible glue in services and support, Joseph Rowntree Foundation (01904 629241)
Date: 2008-Sep
An article reported a systematic synthesis of the research methods and quality of peer-reviewed empirical research relating to adult social care services (1990-2001). The range of research questions, research designs, and methodological quality varied within and across four service-user groups. Factors associated with variation in methodological quality included the type of research question, strategies and designs adopted, service user group, number of authors, unit of analysis, and year of publication. The findings demonstrated a dearth of rigorous social care evaluations.
Source: Siobhan Reilly, Chengqiu Xie, Sally Jacobs and David Challis,, 'Examining the state of adult social care research 1990-2001: a systematic synthesis of research methods and quality', Evidence & Policy, Volume 4 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-Sep
A report examined how a simplified, locally based system of social care would address some of the problems with the existing system. It looked at the complex range of public support for people with care needs, and how simplifying this into a straightforward, personal approach would also bring improvements in quality and value for money at the local level. Social care, welfare benefits, and National Health Service funding for older and disabled people should be delivered through single all-encompassing budgets.
Source: Our Lives, Our Choices: Fit for the future – A new vision for adult social care and support, Local Government Association (020 7664 3000)
Links: Report | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Sep
A paper said that 'care' was a contentious policy concept. The numbers of people needing care were rising. Radical change was planned for care policy to increase choice and control through 'personalization'. A new conceptual framework was needed to take forward policy and practice for the twenty-first century if people's rights and needs were to be met.
Source: What Future for Care?, Joseph Rowntree Foundation (01904 629241)
Date: 2008-Sep
Three articles examined contemporary issues in social work research.
Source: Lena Dominelli and Margaret Holloway, 'Ethics and governance in social work research in the UK', British Journal of Social Work, Volume 38 Number 5 | Ian Shaw and Matthew Norton, 'Kinds and quality of social work research', British Journal of Social Work, Volume 38 Number 5 | Paul Bywaters, 'Learning from experience: developing a research strategy for social work in the UK', British Journal of Social Work, Volume 38 Number 5
Links: Abstract (1) | Abstract (2) | Abstract (3)
Date: 2008-Jul
A new book examined contemporary issues in social work, particularly exploring the politicization of the profession from the 1970s onwards. It said that underlying much social theory and practice was a 'pessimistic and degraded' view of humanity.
Source: Kenneth McLaughlin, Social work, Politics and Society: From radicalism to orthodoxy, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2008-Jul
An article examined the transformation of state social work over the previous two decades. There had been a steady yet radical process of privatization which had had a considerable impact upon the experiences of 'service users', informal carers, and social work practitioners. Many of the promised benefits of privatization, including that it would create a more efficient and effective structure for the delivery of social care, had never materialized. On the contrary, the organization of social care was highly bureaucratic, exploited labour, and was deeply ineffective at responding to the needs of vulnerable adults and children.
Source: Malcolm Carey, 'Everything must go? The privatization of state social work', British Journal of Social Work, Volume 38 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-Jul
The government announced the creation of a new School for Social Care Research (based in the National Institute for Health Research). It said that the School would focus on social care practice; that it would include research by social care professionals as well as academics, and encourage active collaboration with service users and their carers; and that it would draw on a wide range of academic disciplines and methods.
Source: Press release 30 May 2008, Department of Health (020 7210 4850)
Links: DH press release
Date: 2008-May
The Department of Health published its annual report for 2007-08.
Source: Departmental Report 2008, Cm 7393, Department of Health, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-May
The Department for Children, Schools and Families published its annual report for 2007-08.
Source: Departmental Report 2008, Cm 7391, Department for Children, Schools and Families, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-May
The government began consultation on the future shape of care and support services in England. A rapidly ageing population meant that within 20 years one-quarter of the entire adult population would be over 65, and the number of people over 85 would have doubled: the growth in the number of people with care and support needs would put 'tremendous pressure' both on services and on the financial support that they received through benefits and other funding streams. The government sought views on how to create a new system that promoted independence, choice, and control for everyone who used the care and support system; ensured that everyone could receive the high-quality care and support they needed, and that government support should be targeted at those most in need; and was affordable for government, individuals, and families in the long term. It said that the debate would culminate in the publication of a Green Paper.
Source: The Case for Change: Why England needs a new care and support system, Department of Health (08701 555455)
Links: Consultation document | Hansard | DH press release | PM speech | CDNA press release | Kings Fund press release | NHS Confederation press release | Carers UK press release | SFC press release | PRTC press release | EDCM press release | LGIU press release | Turning Point press release | NHF press release | Guardian report | BBC report | Community Care report | Telegraph report
Date: 2008-May
A paper said that social care funding needed to be fairer if provision of social care were to survive. The long-term solution could be a minimum package of entitlement paid for through a new insurance system.
Source: Funding Tomorrow Today: Social care for older people and vulnerable adults, NHS Confederation (020 7959 7272)
Links: Paper | NHS Confederation press release | Community Care report | Guardian report
Date: 2008-Apr
The report of an independent review said that despite some practical difficulties in its formative years, the free personal and nursing care policy in Scotland remained popular and had worked well on the whole, delivering better outcomes for Scotland's older people. But it predicted that the costs of free provision would nearly triple within 25 years.
Source: Stewart Sutherland, Independent Review of Free Personal and Nursing Care in Scotland, Scottish Government, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | SG press release | COSLA press release | Guardian report | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Apr
A think-tank report said that personalized care budgets led to average council savings of 10 per cent on care packages and achieved greater service-user satisfaction than traditional services.
Source: Charles Leadbeater, Jamie Bartlett and Niamh Gallagher, Making it Personal, Demos, available from Central Books (020 8986 5488)
Links: Report | Summary | Community Care report | Guardian report
Date: 2008-Jan
A report said that there was a need for a new system to pay for long-term care for older people, which combined a clear-cut entitlement to care and support with a sharing of costs between individuals and the state. The existing system of funding long-term care was 'not fit for purpose'. Better support for unpaid carers was also crucial.
Source: The Future of Care Funding: Time for a change, Caring Choices c/o King's Fund (020 7307 2591)
Links: Report | King's Fund press release | Carers UK press release | Alzheimers Society press release | Age Concern press release | Skills for Care press release | LGA press release | ECCA press release | BBC report | Telegraph report
Date: 2008-Jan