COVID-19 insights and experiences

Blogs published to support the sector during the Covid-19 pandemic. Edited and published by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)

These opinions do not necessarily reflect SCIE's views.

Care Talk and SCIE Coming out of Covid conference (17 November 2021)

Head-shot of the author, Helen Wildbore, Director, Relatives and Residents Association Visiting and Covid-19: Legal duties for care staff (19 August 2021)
By Helen Wildbore, Director, Relatives and Residents Association

Head-shot of the author, Trevor Salomon, carer and member of the Carers Advisory Panel for Dementia Carers Count Why technology has been so important during the pandemic (29 March 2021)
By Trevor Salomon, carer and member of the Carers Advisory Panel for Dementia Carers Count

Head-shot of the author, Dr Jonathan Leach OBE, General Practitioner Davenal House Surgery Bromsgrove “If you haven’t been vaccinated, could someone else come and see me please?” (25 February 2021)
By Dr Jonathan Leach OBE, General Practitioner Davenal House Surgery Bromsgrove

Child protection practice on the front line (24 February 2021)
By Jane Heap, Advanced Practitioner at Doncaster Children’s Services Trust

Head-shot of the author, Morgan Vine. Head of Policy and Influencing, Independent Age How about free personal care? (13 October 2020)
By Morgan Vine. Head of Policy and Influencing, Independent Age

Head-shot of the author, Sally Warren, Managing Director, Paradigm Don’t ever call us unskilled again! (18 September 2020)
By Sally Warren, Managing Director, Paradigm

Head-shot of the author, Grace Meadows, Programme Director, Music for Dementia Making music a part of dementia care now and in the long term (10 September 2020)
By Grace Meadows, Programme Director, Music for Dementia

Head-shot of the author, Written by the Larkins families and carers group Extraordinary times, exceptional circumstances: Larkins families and carers group (07 September 2020)
By Written by the Larkins families and carers group

Head-shot of the author, Dasos Christou, Silva Homes executive director (customer relations) Winnie's world: Affordable independent living (04 September 2020)
By Dasos Christou, Silva Homes executive director (customer relations)

Targeted intervention (02 September 2020)
By Wajid Shafiq, CEO, Xantura

Healthy communities and COVID-19: moving to a whole system approach (17 August 2020)
By Tom Mapplethorpe and Jude Stansfield, Public Health England

COVID-19: 'Recovery' can't just mean business as usual (31 July 2020)
By Sam Royston, Director of Policy and Research, the Children’s Society

It's 2020 and AI is calling (30 July 2020)
By Hector Alexander, Co-Founder & COO at Yokeru Care Technology

The hopes (and fears) of social workers for hospital discharge processes, post-COVID (21 July 2020)
By Julie Tyas, registered social worker, and Senior Business Application Consultant at Servelec

Regulating in a pandemic: Introducing 'VUCA' (10 July 2020)
By Interim Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Social Care Council, Patricia Higgins

Co-production in lockdown (22 June 2020)
By Patrick Wood, SCIE Co-production, Equalities and Human Rights Steering Group Member

Highs and Lows: Reflections from the frontline of managing COVID-19 in care homes (10 June 2020)
By Anita Astle MBE, Managing Director, Wren Hall Nursing Home, Nottingham

What trends are we seeing in child safeguarding practice during the COVID-19 crisis? (10 June 2020)
By Karen Manners, Interim Chair of the Independent Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel

Innovation in care homes at a time of crisis (09 June 2020)
By Amy Simpkins, Communications Officer and Pamela Holmes, Care Home FaNs, both at My Home Life England

Has the COVID-19 pandemic inspired you to think about volunteering? (03 June 2020)
By Andy Forster, Programme Manager at TimeBank, the volunteering charity

Using standards to make care safer and more personalised (29 May 2020)
By Professor Maureen Baker CBE, Chair, Professional Record Standards Body

Tips on being kind at work during the lockdown (21 May 2020)
By Michaela Gray, SCIE's Corporate Governance and HR Officer

Running a local authority therapeutic social work team during COVID-19 (19 May 2020)
By Katie Wrench, social worker and art psychotherapist

Powerful stories: Can they be the catalyst for reform? (19 May 2020)
By Janet Sillett, Head of Briefings, Local Government Information Unit / LGIU

Life during lockdown for young people in Doncaster (12 May 2020)
By Kanisha and Jordan, Young Advisors at Doncaster Children’s Services Trust

Children's services: What crises have taught us (11 May 2020)
By James Thomas, Chief Executive Officer, Doncaster Children's Services Trust

Ready to shield since January. COVID-19 and asthma (06 May 2020)
By Aaron Foulds, Asthma UK volunteer

From care markets to care systems (05 May 2020)
By Alex Khaldi, Consultant and Interim at Think.Do.Consulting

Care home manager: News from the frontline (04 May 2020)
By Sarah Mitchell, Manager, Bridge House care home, West Yorkshire

In recognition of how COVID-19 is affecting the death rituals for people in Northern Ireland (27 April 2020)
By Dr Denise Turner (London Metropolitan University) and Dr Amanda M L Taylor-Beswick (Queens University Belfast)

COVID-19 and older people with combined sight and hearing loss - working with older people, 70-years plus (23 April 2020)
By Bernard Quinn, Director, Hi-VisUK

The analogue generation is isolating but they don't have to be lonely (20 April 2020)
By Harriet Gridley, KOMP

Walking through the COVID-19 landscape (16 April 2020)
By Lorraine Currie, MCA and DoLS Manager at Shropshire Council and carer

Leadership in a time of pandemic (15 April 2020)
By Kim Carey, Director of Adult Services, London Borough of Bromley

Social Care and COVID-19: Kathryn Smith (09 April 2020)
By Kathryn Smith, Chief Operating Officer at Alzheimers Society and incoming SCIE Chief Executive

At times of crisis, heroes emerge (06 April 2020)
By Steve Palmer, SCIE Communications Manager and parent carer

The power of stories in our Covid-19 world (05 April 2020)
By Ryan Wise, Practice Development Manager, SCIE

How to support people with long-term health conditions living in their own homes self-isolating (01 April 2020)
By John Evans OBE, disability rights, equalities and diversity consultant and trainer and former SCIE trustee

Sharing lives and self-isolating (29 March 2020)
By Alex Fox OBE, Chief Executive of Shared Lives Plus and Trustee at the Social Care Institute for Excellence

COVID-19: using digital technology in relationship-based practice to bridge the gap in social distancing (26 March 2020)
By Dr Godfred Boahen, Policy and Research Officer, British Association of Social Workers

What is worrying social care providers and their staff (24 March 2020)
By Melanie Weatherley MBE, Chair, Lincolnshire Care Association

Covid-19 and adult social workers (24 March 2020)
By Rob Mitchell, Principal Social Worker at Bradford Council and Elaine James, Service Manager for commissioning for learning disabilities at Bradford Council

Covid-19: An older person caring for a younger family member (22 March 2020)
By Dame Philippa Russell, Vice-President, Carers UK - and carer for her son Simon

What should I do if all my PAs suddenly had to self-isolate? (22 March 2020)
By Ossie Stuart, SCIE trustee & equality and diversity consultant