Recasting the Future of Social Care

The event, “Recasting the Future of Social Care Together: From Existence to Living,“ organised jointly by Brunel University and the Commission for Social Care Inspection, at The Resource Centre in Holloway Road, North London, [on Nov 14] was supported by 18 key social care organisations from the public, voluntary, private and service user sectors.

They included the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Shaping Our Lives National User Group, and the British Association of Social Workers.

David Behan, Director General for Social Care, Department of Health emphasised the renewed priority given to social care by Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, adding that the day's discussion would feed into Government discussions towards a new Green Paper on social care.

“The political tide is turning round these issues,“ said Mr Behan. “The current system needs to be transformed , based on individual needs, and 'personalisation'... It is not whether to do it. It is how to do it.“
Peter Beresford OBE, Professor of Social Policy, Brunel University argued that many people's experience of social was “still inadequate.“

“The supported living that can come from social care is the greatest invention of our age. It isn't rocket science. It is much more complex and important than that,“ he remarked.

“New ideas from service users themselves are transforming the potential of people who have traditionally been written off as dependent or defective.

“The question is, how to do we achieve, for all, the blueprint for user-led services that we now have?“ he asked.

Professor Chris Jenks, Vice-Chancellor of Brunel University, highlighted the critical role played by universities in developing the welfare state. He added that universities played a part in changing attitudes and priorities which was crucial for taking social care policies forward.

“Recasting the Future“ marked the occasion of Peter Beresford's Professorial Lecture, part of Brunel University's Established Professors Lecture Series.