Family and voluntary carers

Modernising Social Services

Social Services spending

· In 1997-1998, current expenditure in England on Personal Social Services was ₤10 billion, or about ₤200 per head

· Services for children and older people accounted for nearly three-quarters of spending

· The single biggest item of expenditure was residential care for older people

· All but two per cent of the remainder was for people with a mental illness, or physical or learning disabilities

· Spending on residential services accounted for just under half of the total

In November 1998 the Government announced a new ₤3 billion programme to reform social services in a White Paper Modernising Social Services. The Paper proposes ways of making sure local councils, the NHS, voluntary bodies and commercial providers work together to deliver improvements, which include:

· promoting chances for people to live independent, fulfilling lives

· improving the protection of vulnerable people

· raising the standards of services

The White Paper introduces plans for:

· a commission for care standards, an independent watchdog for each English region to regulate services whether they are provided in people's own homes, through organisations such as fostering agencies or in residential homws

· new national standards of performance for local authorities and annual reports an what councils have achieved or not achieved

· children's rights officers to inspect children's homes

· the General Social Council, whose job will be to ensure the proper regulation and training of all the social care workforce

Much of the care of older and disabled people is provided by the community - by families, self-help groups and voluntary agencies, leaving the statutory sector to provide the skilled care needed in particular services. There are about seven million such carers - one in eight adults in Britain.

The Government acknowledges the crucial role of carers. People who provide substantial, regular care have a right to have their own needs for help assessed. The Government also plans to create a national strategy for carers which will focus on recognising the importance of their role, consulting them and supporting their essential work.

There are nearly 200,000 voluntary organisations and charities concerned with health and social welfare. They range from national bodies such as Help the Aged to small, individual self-help groups. As demand for personal social services growth the contribution of the voluntary sector is also becoming increasingly important.

Дата добавления: 2013-12-13