Care where we live – conversations about adult social care reform

An opportunity for reform

Over many years, there has been no shortage of reviews, proposals or moments of consensus about the need for social care change. Yet past attempts at reform have frequently stalled, fragmented or failed to translate ambition into lasting improvement. This has left many people sceptical about whether meaningful change is possible, and wary of solutions that do not fully reconcile change, delivery, funding and accountability.

The Casey Commission represents an opportunity to break this pattern.

It offers the chance to take a long-term, system-wide view of adult social care and to shape reform that is durable, fair and rooted in people’s lives. 

Importantly, its work will feed directly into government thinking, including the commitment to build a National Care Service, making this a pivotal moment for influencing the future direction of care and support in England. Local government is central to this conversation.

The role of local government

Councils play a critical role in shaping, delivering and stewarding adult social care in places and communities. Any reformed system will depend on local government leadership, capacity and legitimacy. That is why it is vital to hear views from councils, partners and the public on what role local government should play in the future, and how it can best support people to live the lives they want to lead. 

As the national membership body for the sector, the LGA is proud to lead this conversation and looks forward to sharing the findings from the engagement and our positions in due course.