COVID-19: adult social care and support

Information and guidance related to social care, including commissioning and supporting the provider market, and working collaboratively with health partners.

We are working as fast as we can to update this page with useful information for you. Please follow @LGAwellbeing for the latest updates and keep checking back.

This page holds key information and guidance related to social care, including commissioning and supporting the provider market, and working collaboratively with health partners.

If you can’t find what you are looking for, please register for our knowledge-hub site which has been set up by our joint LGA/ADASS Adult Social Care Hub - this holds a more extensive depository of information for each workstream and our daily adult social care updates.

General information and Government Action Plan

LGA – adult social care coronavirus winter plan 2020/21: briefing and gap analysis for councils

GOV.UK – adult social care: coronavirus winter plan 2020 to 2021

GOV.UK – social care guidance

GOV.UK – overview of adult social care guidance on coronavirus

GOV.UK – guidance on getting tested

GOV.UK – support for care homes

GOV.UK – whole home testing for care home staff and residents fact sheet (pdf, 5 June 2020)

GOV.UK – extension of eligibility of whole care home testing (pdf, 5 June 2020)

LGA – Health and Wellbeing Board Chair touch base Debrief and moving into the next phase of COVID-19 (pdf, June 2020)

LGA – Health and Wellbeing Boards reset tool: to support HWB chairs move into the next stage of COVID-19

NHS.UK – COVID-19 prioritisation within community health services

ADASS Budget Survey 2020 - Covid-19 Response

Care Quality Commission: COVID-19 Information

Care Quality Commission: COVID-19 insight document (pdf, 20 May 2020)

Social Care Institute of Excellence: COVID-19 Information

Skills for Care: COVID-19 Information

Hospital discharge

Working with hospitals

We work with a wide range of partners, including the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, NHS England and Improvement and government departments to develop a range of tools and resources to support better partnership working and improve outcomes for people using hospital or community services.

Advice note for local government: Accounting for Spend Against the NHS £1.3 billion: COVID Discharge Agreements

The LGA has produced an advice note for local government finance leads and key others faced with the challenge of properly accounting for expenditure to be claimed against the national £1.3 billion allocation to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to support enhanced discharge arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic, and ensuring that reimbursement claims are fully auditable, internally and externally. The note is intended to supplement rather than replace the NHSE&I guidance, frequently asked questions and responses, and model amendments/extensions to existing Section 75 arrangements posted on the Better Care Support Exchange website.

NHS.UK – COVID-19 Discharge hub

GOV.UK – guidance for stepdown of infection control precautions within hospitals and discharging COVID-19 patients from hospital to home settings

Better Care Exchange – Supported by the LGA and national partners, this exchange contains a wide range of advice, resources, discussion forums, FAQs, webinar recordings and links to guidance relating to the Covid-19 discharge. To request access, email England.bettercareexchange@nhs.net

Carers

ONS – Coronavirus and the impact on caring

GOV.UK – Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: people receiving direct payments

GOV.UK – guidance on providing unpaid care

Carers Week – the rise in the number of unpaid carers during the coronavirus outbreak (pdf, June 2020)

Please see the folder titled 'Mental health, mental capacity, isolation and wellbeing' on the vulnerable groups page, and the mental health FAQs for more information

Workforce

COVID-19 social care staff wellbeing
The LGA and NHS England and Improvement have produced a comprehensive pack of wellbeing information and resources to help health and care managers support the wellbeing of staff.

LGA – wellbeing for frontline staff

LGA – workforce and HR support

COVID-19 employment law FAQs (further details on the NHS and Social Care Life Assurance Scheme and what it means for councils, is now available)

Social Work Together campaign - council sign up
In partnership with Social Work England, Dfe and DHSC, the LGA is providing a platform to connect social workers offering their expertise to local employers. By registering through our online tool, councils can find social workers returning to work in their area.

Skills for Care guidance

Join Social Care – new recruitment campaign from the Department of Health and Social Care

SCIE – providing care and support at home to people who have had COVID-19

CQC interim guidance on DBS and other recruitment checks for providers recruiting staff and volunteers to health and social care services

CQC – supporting testing for coronavirus in the adult care sector

GOV.UK – bereavement resources for the social care workforce

GOV.UK – steps to take following the death of a person who worked in adult social care

GOV.UK – management of staff and exposed patients and residents in health and social care settings

GOV.UK – number of COVID-19 outbreaks in care homes: management information

GOV.UK – how to work safely in care homes

GOV.UK – health and wellbeing of the adult social care workforce

GOV.UK – guidance for coronavirus testing for frontline workers who are self isolating

GOV.UK– Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for people receiving direct payments

GOV.UK – essential workers: apply for a coronavirus test

GOV.UK – guidance on the reuse of medicines in a care home or a hospice

NHS.UK – the NHS and Social Care Coronavirus Life Assurance Scheme 2020

How to access the ASC provider daily data collection

In April 2020, a joint letter was issued from the Care Provider Alliance (CPA), Care Quality Commission (CQC), Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE/I) asking all Registered Adult Social Care Providers to provide a daily data return designed to ensure that support is targeted effectively where needed. We continue to work with national partners to ensure that councils are supported to manage their local care market responsibilities while minimising the data burden on provider organisations.

Data from care providers is reported through Capacity Tracker and can be viewed through a series of themed reports on a real time basis. We continue to provide the COVID-19 Adult Social Care Tracker which allows councils secure access to view and download data for individual providers in their areas so that they have the latest information they need to support care providers during this current emergency. The tool is hosted on LG Inform and is free to use for approved users from councils using a secure sign-in. It is updated throughout the day with data from Capacity Tracker.

If you need access to the COVID-19 Adult Social Care Tracker please ask your DASS or suitable alternative to email adass.lga.covid@local.gov.uk detailing named users approved for access. All users will also need to be registered with LG Inform.

Mental health, mental capacity, isolation and wellbeing

Please see the folder titled 'Mental health and wellbeing on the public health page, and the mental health FAQs

Social care commissioners and providers

Please see the below documents that will be of interest to commissioners and providers:

Please also see the below pages and sites for further detail on commissioner and provider related issues:

LGA – adult social care commissioning practice resource

Care Provider Alliance – information for providers about COVID-19

Local support for vulnerable people

For more information on support for vulnerable people, please see the vulnerable groups page

PPE (Personal protective equipment)

GOV.UK – PPE: local contacts for care providers

GOV.UK – how to order emergency personal protective equipment

GOV.UK PPE Hub

GOV.UK – how to work safely in care homes (with use of PPE)

GOV.UK – how to work safely in domiciliary care (with use of PPE)

NHS.UK – Guidance on supply and use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Care Provider Alliance – information on PPE for providers

People with a learning disability and/or autism

Impact of COVID-19

Learning Disability England Policy briefing: Coronavirus and people with learning disabilities in England: February 2022

Responding to COVID-19: Improving Support to People with a Learning Disability and Building a Better Future – Learning from the response to the COVID-19 Pandemic ADASS Yorkshire and Humber, January 2022

LGA Learning Disability – the impact of COVID (July 2021)

Human rights and the Government's response to COVID-19: the detention of young people who are autistic and/or have learning disabilities (pdf, June 2020)

Relevant guidance

GOV.UK

GOV.UK – supporting adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults (July 2021)

GOV.UK – providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults (July 2021)

NHS.UK

NHS.UK – mental health, learning disabilities and autism

NHS.UK – guidance coronavirus - mental health, learning disabilities and autism

NHS.UK - Do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DNACPR) decisions

SCIE

Delivering safe, face-to-face adult day care – re-opening of day services (February 2021) (Updated May 2021)

Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) – supporting autistic people and people with learning disabilities during COVID-19

LDE

LDE Coronavirus hub

Learning Disability England – People with learning disabilities and the coronavirus vaccine: Information for paid supporters (February, 2021)

Learning Disability England – keeping informed and in touch during coronavirus

The Challenging Behaviour Foundation

The Challenging Behaviour Foundation – information and resources for families and carers

Safeguarding

COVID-19 and safeguarding adults: resource pack

These resources were collected between March and December 2020 to support safeguarding work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Information was compiled initially through a ‘safeguarding issues grid’, in response to issues raised by Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) Chairs, SAB Managers, Principal Social Workers and others regarding safeguarding adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Digital

Social Care Digital Innovation Accelerator (SCDIA)
Councils can apply for match funding through the SCDIA programme 2020/21 (deadline 24 April) 2020.

Digital Social Care – Digital Guidance for Providers
Digital Social Care has set up a new helpline to assist adult social care providers to use technology during the COVID-19 outbreak. The helpline is open between 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday and will give providers practical advice to troubleshoot a problem or give 1-1 support. Commissioners are encouraged to share with local provider networks.

COVID-19: rapid care technology deployment tool
This guide has been developed in collaboration with those leading care technology responses to COVID-19 in councils.

NHSX and NHS Digital – internet connection deals for care homes (guidance is also available on choosing an internet connection for your care home and how to use digital services in your care home)

Housing

The Housing LIN Coronavirus Info Hub is split into three sections. The first contains practice briefings and top tips for commissioners and operators of specialist and supported housing on COVID-19. The second section signposts to relevant Government guidance for local authorities and housing providers on home, housing and homelessness, and related care and support, and NHS and public health guidance. The third section offers wider housing and care sector resources on tackling the pandemic.

For more information, please see our housing, planning and homelessness page.

Helplines for social care staff

Samaritans helpline

Samaritans have introduced a confidential emotional support line for social care staff that is free to access from 7.00am-11.00pm, seven days a week. You can speak to a trained Samaritans volunteer who can help with confidential listening and signposting to specific support you might find helpful. Call 0300 131 7000.

Bereavement & Trauma Line

There is a team of fully qualified and trained professionals ready to help you at the Bereavement & Trauma Line. This assistance is available from anywhere in the country and is provided by Hospice UK. Specialist counsellors and support workers are available to support all adult social care staff:

who have experienced a bereavement
whose wellbeing has been affected by witnessing traumatic deaths as part of their work
to discuss any other anxiety or emotional issues they are experiencing as a result of the coronavirus epidemic.

All calls will be treated in the strictest of confidence and this will be explained to you when you call. This service is open to you and all adult social care staff and is available, seven days a week, between 8am and 8pm. You do not need a referral. Call 0300 303 4434.

COVID-19: adult social care and support

Funding sustainability

Infection control fund

Care homes

Home care

Other/ general care and support sector

Helplines for social care staff