{"id":14427,"date":"2020-08-26T09:54:27","date_gmt":"2020-08-26T08:54:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.powertochange.org.uk\/?post_type=blog_post&p=14427"},"modified":"2021-07-30T12:14:08","modified_gmt":"2021-07-30T11:14:08","slug":"communities-care-communities-foundational-economy-social-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.powertochange.org.uk\/news\/communities-care-communities-foundational-economy-social-care\/","title":{"rendered":"Communities care\u2026 communities, the foundational economy and social care"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Susie Finlayson, Power to Change, and Sian Lockwood, Community Catalysts <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Like many people we<\/span>\u2019re spending a lot of time in\u00a0<\/span>conversations about Building Back Better<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0the New Normal<\/em><\/span>, or not Normal<\/em>, depending on the online meeting title<\/span>. <\/span><\/p>\n

As organisations that work with community enterprises and community businesses<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>with a<\/span>\u00a0role in\u00a0<\/span>local economies and\u00a0<\/span>health and care, we<\/span>\u00a0have found ourselves in\u00a0<\/span>a number of different<\/span>\u00a0sets of discussions.\u00a0<\/span>One set<\/span>\u00a0has been looking at<\/span>\u00a0the\u00a0<\/span>importance<\/span>\u00a0of civil society in post-Covid\u00a0<\/span>planning<\/span>\u00a0and how that influences or impacts\u00a0<\/span>resilient<\/span>\u00a0local places<\/span>. Another set has focused on how to\u00a0<\/span>build\u00a0<\/span>inclusive<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>economies<\/span> and a third<\/span>\u00a0has been grappling with\u00a0<\/span>the future of social care.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But\u00a0<\/span>these<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>different\u00a0<\/span>conversations about the future of people\u2019s lives in communities\u00a0<\/span>do not connect and there is a real danger that decisions will be made about the future of social care without taking into account decisions being made about the future relationship between public bodies and communities <\/span>and the\u00a0<\/span>rebuilding of<\/span>\u00a0local economies<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u2013 and vice versa.<\/span> At local and national level, these conversations about the future need to connect \u2013 to understand and articulate their shared vision and how they can build on, influence and contribute in order to achieve those shared aims.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This<\/span>\u00a0is an attempt to link\u00a0<\/span>these\u00a0<\/span>three sets of\u00a0<\/span>crucial\u00a0<\/span>debates: planning for local economies; the role of communities and civil society; and the future of social care.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Social care isn\u2019t often considered in economic planning<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With the looming recession, unemployment o<\/span>n<\/span>\u00a0a scale we don\u2019t yet know and further decimation of traditional high streets<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>economic planning\u00a0<\/span>at a local and national level is crucial.\u00a0<\/span>Amongst other strategies we are starting to see greater understanding of<\/span>\u00a0the role of communities<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>socially trading organisations<\/span>\u00a0and community ownership<\/span>\u00a0in these discussions,\u00a0<\/span>and how these contribute to better and less unequal\u00a0<\/span>local\u00a0<\/span>economies.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Social care contributes to local (and national) economies. It is a core pillar of the foundational economy,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the services and goods we often take for granted (food, transport, utilities). Currently around\u00a0<\/span><\/span>1.5 million people are employed in\u00a0<\/span><\/span>adult\u00a0<\/span><\/span>social care<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0in England compared to\u00a0<\/span><\/span>1.2 million in the NHS<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0and in\u00a0<\/span><\/span>2018\/19 councils spent\u00a0<\/span><\/span>almost \u00a320bn<\/span><\/span>\u00a0on social care<\/span><\/span><\/a> provision. We know demand for social care, and therefore market size in crude economic terms, is going to continue to grow, how that is planned for in economic terms will be crucial. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Many places, for example Preston and Bristol, are already exploring how to spend public money locally so that it benefits the local areas and does so for longer. Currently there are many extractive models of ownership in social care where a proportion of public money leaves the area, leaving less spent on the delivery of the care itself. Care workers in these kinds of organisations are typically paid at the bottom end of the wage range and work in ways that are inflexible for them and the people they support. It would surely make sense for the team responsible for the economic health of their area to work with the adult social care on a plan to ensure that social care money is used in a way that enhances the local economy (as well as providing better options for people needing support). <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

We are not aware of many areas where these kinds of conversations are happening, although West Midlands Association for Directors of Adult Social Care recently published <\/span><\/span>Flipping Social Care<\/span><\/span><\/a> as a follow up to its 2018 publication on the topic, we would love to be in touch with any that are. <\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Hub on the Hill, Telford<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hub on the Hill is a community business run by Sutton Hill Community that delivers multiple activities and services across the local community; provides volunteering, training and employment opportunities; hosts community events and much more. Sutton Hill Community Trust is run by local people, enabling it to have rich insight into the needs and strengths of the local community. It recognised that many local people require some form of domiciliary care support, and also that local people work in domiciliary care often travelling far from home and, due to time constraints on appointments, not being able to deliver the types of care they want.<\/p>\n

Hub on the Hill has engaged with the CQC Sandbox for innovation in social care through a Power to Change grant and some support from Community Catalysts is registering as a CQC regulated care provider so it can employ local people to support other local people, ensuring good working conditions, ensuring co-production of care and crucially link people receiving care back into other local community activities. Hub on the Hill not only supports people but also contributes directly and indirectly to the local economy.<\/p>\n

\n

Communities care \u2013 and\u00a0<\/span><\/b>can do<\/span><\/b>\u00a0social care\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We all know the huge challenges sections of the social care system have faced during Covid<\/span>, and the amazing efforts\u00a0<\/span>many\u00a0<\/span>key workers in the sector have put in to keep people as well, safe and happy as possible<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>But the dominant narrative around social care remains one of funding and a \u2018system in crisis\u2019, focused almost solely on older people, and continuing to view social care as a transactional exchange of a service and individuals as passive recipients of\u00a0 support.<\/span>\u00a0What this narrative doesn\u2019t account for\u00a0<\/span>is<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the multitude of other factors that are important to people\u2019s health and wellbeing and the myriad of ways in which people can receive support if they are connected into a strong and resilient <\/span>community.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>SocialCareFuture<\/span>s<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>partnership\u00a0<\/span>describes<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the future\u00a0<\/span>we want for social care, as one where we all<\/span>\u00a0\u201c<\/em><\/span>live in the place we call home with the people and things that we love, in communities where we look out for one another, doing the things that matter to us.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Adult Social Care teams in local government\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0national \u2018reform\u2019 of social care funding or delivery mechanisms<\/span>\u00a0will not by themselves deliver that vision. Resilient and inclusive communities with strong local economies are vital to the health and wellbeing of the people living there. People in communities,\u00a0<\/span>with the right kind of support and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>through structures like community business and enterprise and Shared Lives, can\u00a0<\/span>and do p<\/span>rovide flexible personalised care\u00a0<\/span>and help to people in their area.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve heard the countless stories of great community and neighbourhood responses amid the Covid-19 crisis which has provided a springboard for the role of community power in recovery and renewal planning. We know communities can and do support each other, and that where the state acts as a supporter and facilitator alongside this activity communities can meet many of their own needs. We also know that community businesses and enterprises contribute to inclusive local economies; that communities need a greater say in and control over decisions about their local places; and that civil society contributes to thriving and resilient places. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The majority of\u00a0community organisations and broader civil society don\u2019t see themselves having a role in social care<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>s<\/span>ocial care\u00a0<\/span>is often seen as complicated and highly regulated \u2013 and some of it is. With the right kind of help\u00a0<\/span>though, <\/span>many community-led organisations (often at the most \u2018micro\u2019 level) successfully deliver high-quality personalised help for older and disabled people which is flexible and responsive but most importantly links them into their community. We need more of that but of course the help people need to live their lives (\u2018social care\u2019) is much more than personal care.\u00a0<\/span>Around h<\/span>alf of adult social care spend<\/span><\/a>\u00a0is on<\/span>\u00a0working age adults<\/span>, and\u00a0<\/span>much of<\/span>\u00a0that goes on help to people to live the lives they want \u2013 to work, volunteer, learn and enjoy leisure activities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>People of all ages need help at\u00a0time<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0and we all need to feel connected and valued in order to stay well. <\/span><\/p>\n

Community-led organisations such as c<\/span>ommunity\u00a0<\/span>micro<\/span>-enterprises and community businesses\u00a0<\/span>play a vital role in supporting the health and\u00a0<\/span>well being<\/span>\u00a0of local people through practical help, access to work and volunteering\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>creating<\/span>\u00a0connection<\/span>, providing\u00a0<\/span>wrap around support that prevents, or delays,\u00a0<\/span>the need for\u00a0<\/span>more formal social care\u00a0<\/span>interventions<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>It makes complete sense for adult social care teams and\u00a0<\/span>communities<\/span>\u00a0teams to work closely together \u2013 and they do in some area<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0which makes the division between the national conversations about\u00a0<\/span>civil society<\/span>\u00a0and about social care harder to understand.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond\u00a0<\/span><\/b>siloes<\/span><\/b>,<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>to<\/span><\/b>wards<\/span><\/b>\u00a0shared outcomes<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Siloed working at\u00a0<\/span>all levels of government and public<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>service<\/span>\u00a0only\u00a0<\/span>serves to exacerbate\u00a0<\/span>this<\/span>. It\u2019s very rare that local economic planning, environmental impact or community development will\u00a0<\/span>interact with a social care team to plan commissioning and procurement.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We all want to\u00a0<\/span>live in the place we call home with the people and things that we love, in\u00a0<\/span>good houses and in\u00a0<\/span>communities\u00a0<\/span>that provide good local jobs,\u00a0<\/span>where we look out for one another,\u00a0<\/span>and can do the things that matter to\u00a0<\/span>us<\/span>. <\/span><\/p>\n

Each conversation \u2013 about local economies, about strong communities and about social care \u2013 is one element of this story. If the elements do not fit together or are incomplete people will not have the good\u00a0<\/span>lives<\/span>\u00a0we all want. It surely makes sense for all these conversations to connect and collaborate.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Outlining the importance\u00a0of civil society in post-Covid\u00a0planning, how that influences and impacts\u00a0resilient\u00a0local places, how to\u00a0build\u00a0inclusive\u00a0economies and the future of social care.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":14428,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[340],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.powertochange.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14427"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.powertochange.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.powertochange.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.powertochange.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.powertochange.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14427"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.powertochange.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14427\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.powertochange.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14428"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.powertochange.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14427"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.powertochange.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14427"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.powertochange.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14427"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}