After the release of a survey from the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) that found that more than half a million people are waiting for assessments, reviews and/or care and support to begin, the Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, Councillor David Fothergill, has responded by considering what needs to change.
The survey was carried out between March and April and almost two-thirds of directors of adult social services. It found that 69% of the directors said that more people were being referred for support from the community, almost half of them reporting a rise of more than 10% over six months. 57% said that more people with care and support needs were seeking help for domestic abuse or safeguarding and 35% said that they were seeing more rough sleepers needing support.
In the ADASS survey, it is noted that “the findings point to the strain that family carers have been under during the pandemic. Of responding directors, 67% said they were seeing more people seeking help because of breakdown in carer arrangements – 27% reporting a rise of more than 10%.”
Cllr Fothergill, of the Local Government Association, said:
“While it is positive the Government has set out longer term reforms to adult social care, there is an urgent need to address immediate pressures facing social care in the here and now, including on capacity, recruitment and retention, care worker pay and on unmet and under-met need.
“To address this, we are calling for a greater proportion of the new health and social care levy to go directly towards social care upfront, to reflect the urgency of the situation and help deal with these immediate pressures.”
Cllr Fothergill also spoke about how local councils are being put under more pressure because they do not have the finances or workforce to cope with the demands. He mentioned that no council “wants to have to limit or reduce care” but they are having to make difficult decisions to make sure that residents get the support that they need.
