DPM: ‘I believe in local government’
Local leaders quizzed government ministers about devolution, adult social care, homelessness, special needs education and transport, climate change and roads at last week’s LGA Councillors’ Forum.
Adult social care
Social care ‘in precarious position’
Nine out of 10 directors of adult social services have no confidence, or are only partially confident, that their budgets will be sufficient to fully meet their statutory duties in 2024/25, according to the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services’ (ADASS’) spring survey.
Legal duties on social care ‘may not be met’
A third of councils are not confident of being able to meet all their legal duties under the Care Act 2014 by 2025/26 – a decade after the introduction of the landmark legislation, designed to improve access to vital care and support.
A workforce strategy for adult social care
Last autumn, Skills for Care announced ambitious plans to develop a new and comprehensive workforce strategy for adult social care.
‘Make adult social care a priority’
The next government has been urged to make social care a priority after years of reform being “consistently dodged or delayed”, a think-tank has said.
More support needed for vulnerable households
The Government is being urged to extend the Household Support Fund (HSF) to help protect vulnerable households across the UK.
First workforce pathway for care staff
The Government has announced a new ‘care workforce pathway’, providing the first national career structure for adult social care staff.
CQC assurance begins
For a number of councils, the taking down this month of office Christmas decorations may well be swiftly followed by the putting up of flipcharts, timelines and checklists on office walls.
‘New burdens’ funding needed for social care assurance
New social care assessments are time and energy-intensive and have created additional workload for councils, which needs to be funded, the LGA has said.