By Baroness Glenys Thornton, Chair of the Board at SCIE

It is with great pride that SCIE has now reached the significant milestone of being in existence for 25 years.  Whilst the social care landscape has been through significant challenges and changes, our vision as a charity remains steadfast in that we will always strive for a society to enable everyone who draws on social care to live fulfilling lives.

What a moment to be marking this milestone. After years of debate about the future of social care, there is a renewed sense of ambition and momentum for meaningful reform. The Prime Minister’s recent commitment to a fully funded National Care Service in the next Parliament, alongside the accelerated Casey Commission and plans to improve pay and conditions for care workers, signals an important opportunity to reshape care for generations to come. For those of us who have long championed better care and support, this is a welcome moment of possibility, and one we must seize together.

Of course, the scale of the challenge remains significant. With growing demand, pressures on the workforce and local services, and persistent inequalities in access to care, the need for change has never been clearer. As reforms across health, local government and housing gather pace, we have a real opportunity to build a more joined-up, preventative and equitable system. One that balances national consistency with local flexibility, and above all puts people’s choices, experiences and aspirations at its heart. The test of success will be whether these ambitions translate into tangible improvements in people’s everyday lives.

For 25 years we have brought together evidence, lived experience and policy, translating them into daily practice; working with Government, local authorities, people with lived experience, care providers, academics and the voluntary sector, to drive improvements and innovation. Originally established by the last Labour government to improve the quality of care and support across England, we have delivered this support through our 4 offers of innovative consultancy, expert training, extensive resources and evidence-based insights.  But while we can reflect on the past and how much we have achieved, our 25th year sees us sharply focused on our unique role in turning best practice insights and lived experience into practical change, to help shape the National Care Service of the future. 

SCIE has evolved alongside the sector, from providing trusted guidance and resources to becoming a leading improvement partner, supporting innovation, strengthening practice and helping organisations navigate change. From supporting the implementation of the Care Act 2014 to advancing co-production, digital innovation and care equity, we have continued to adapt our expertise to meet the sector’s changing needs. As we look ahead, our ambition is to build on this legacy: championing evidence-led improvement, bringing together the right voices and helping turn the promise of reform into better, fairer care and support for everyone.

Over the coming weeks and months, alongside our new refreshed branding, we will share reflections on our past and how our trusted expertise and knowledge can be a crucial part of the future social care landscape.

I would like to thank all of our partners, funders, supporters, and our amazing team of staff and lived experience members; our success over the last 25 years is because of you all, and we look forward to continuing to work with you and alongside you for the future to improve lives, collaborating and innovating in care.

By Carrie Bower, Practice Development Consultant Trainer at SCIE 

Domestic Abuse Awareness Month, recognised each October, is dedicated to raising awareness of domestic abuse, challenging common myths and misconceptions, reducing stigma, and encouraging open conversations that help people recognise abuse and seek support. 

When we talk about domestic abuse, much of the conversation focuses on an event or a crisis. What if, instead of asking “What’s happened to this person?”, we also asked, “What has this person lived through?”   

One of the things I have learned from working alongside older adults is that abuse rarely exists in isolation.  It sits alongside oppression and discrimination, bereavement, ill health, caring responsibilities and generational norms.   

Sometimes abuse has been present for decades.  For some older victim-survivors, the abuse we see today may be part of a pattern that began many years ago. For others, it may emerge later in life as circumstances change.  Retirement, ill health, cognitive decline, changing family dynamics or increasing dependency can all create opportunities for someone to exert power and control.  

A crisis may bring someone to the attention of services, but the story often starts much earlier. That is why understanding the life course matters. If we focus only on the presenting issue, we risk missing the bigger picture. Too often, professional conversations focus exclusively on needs and risk. Of course, understanding these are important, but when we focus only on deficits, we miss something equally important.  

So, as professionals, we need to consider the following.  

Strengths  

The older adults I have met throughout my career and personal life have survived experiences that would be unimaginable to others. They have developed strategies to keep themselves safe, protect their families and navigate systems that are not always designed with them in mind.  

That does not mean they have not been harmed. It means they have survived.  

Being trauma-informed   

We must acknowledge that the impact of abuse is diverse, while also recognising the strengths, skills and wisdom that adults bring from their lived experience.  

Building relationships based on trust   

Understanding the experiences of older victim-survivors: a thematic analysis from Dewis Choice highlights the importance of creating relational safe spaces for older victim-survivors to have the space to tell their stories safely.   

For many, trust takes time, and we need to be able to:    

  • listen deeply  
  • be comfortable with silence  
  • understand that disclosure is often a process rather than an event  
  • accept that trauma doesn’t always look the way we expect; we all carry biases about what domestic abuse looks like.  

Often, the most important intervention is not a form, an assessment or a procedure. It is making somebody feel heard.  

We know this also requires organisational support, and this is something to be raised as The Big Conversation on Care, being led by the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care, explores the future of adult social care. I believe trauma-informed practice has an important place in that discussion. Not as another initiative or piece of jargon, but as a way of understanding people’s lives. It sees histories, strengths, relationships and aspirations; adults whose experiences matter, and whose voices need to be heard.  

For older victim-survivors of domestic abuse, that understanding can be transformative.  

SCIE partners with organisations to anticipate and manage safeguarding risks, with expert-led insights, tailored training and co-produced solutions. Our safeguarding support is bespoke to you and your organisation, and our work is always evidence-based, using the latest and most rigorous insights about what constitutes best practice.  Contact consultancy@scie.org.uk or training@scie.org.uk to find out how we can help.