Today, 2 May 2025, the independent commission into adult social care, chaired by The Baroness Casey of Blackstock DBE CB, has been launched.  

In response, Kathryn Smith OBE, Chief Executive of the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), said:

For too long, we’ve been stuck in social care’s version of Groundhog Day with report after report, commission after commission, but little in the way of lasting change. The Casey Commission is our moment to break the cycle. This is not just about fixing a broken system; it’s about reimagining how we care for each other as a society.

Public understanding and support have been a missing link in previous attempts to reform the care sector. The Commission gives us a once-in-a-generation chance to build consensus across the public, politicians and the social care sector to secure a system that helps people live the lives they want – in homes they love, connected to their communities, with control and dignity.

The significance of the Commission can’t be understated. With issues including unmet care needs, workforce shortages, and financial strain on local authorities and providers, the social care sector is in desperate need of a robust plan for change.

We are ready to work with Baroness Casey and partners across the sector – crucially people who draw on care and support and their family carers – to create sustainable solutions. Let this be the Commission that ends the political gridlock, builds consensus, and delivers the fair, resilient, and equitable social care system that people not only need, but deserve.

Kathryn Smith OBE

Chief Executive of the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)

Notes to editors

The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) improves the lives of people of all ages by co-producing, sharing, and supporting the use of the best available knowledge and evidence about what works in practice. We are a leading social care improvement independent charity working with organisations that support adults, families and children across the UK. We also work closely with related services such as health care and housing. We improve the quality of care and support services for adults and children by:

  • Identifying and sharing knowledge about what works and what’s new.
  • Supporting people who plan, commission, deliver and use services to put that knowledge into practice.
  • Informing, influencing and inspiring the direction of future practice and policy.

Our mission is to support best practice, shape policy and raise awareness of the importance of social care, working together. With the government’s ambition of reducing consultancy bills, SCIE can serve as the not-for-profit partner of government, working collaboratively to identify and implement improvements.

If you have any questions regarding this submission, please do not hesitate to contact media@scie.org.uk

SCIE is proud to announce the launch of our first-ever Social Care Impact Awards. These awards will identify, recognise, and reward small organisations doing exceptional work in social care.

SCIE is a not-for-profit, independent, and impartial charity driven by improving social care for adults and children. By launching our Social Care Impact Awards, we hope to support those organisations that would not ordinarily have the budget available to commission our services. 

There are dozens of prizes available—ranging from seventeen days of SCIE consultancy and training support to spaces on SCIE training courses.

The awards are open to organisations with annual incomes up to £100,000. The simple application process invites organisations to submit 300 words, a 2-minute video, or a 2-minute voice note explaining why they should be considered for a Social Care Impact Award.

If you’re part of a small organisation trying to make a big difference, we want to hear from you. For more details on how to create and submit an entry, please visit our website.

The deadline for entries is 9am, Wednesday 28 May 2025. Winners will be notified by 20 June, with first and second prize recipients invited to an awards event in London on 2 July 2025.

Kathryn Smith OBE, SCIE’s Chief Executive said:

SCIE’s vision is for a society which enables people who draw on social care to live fulfilling lives, and the Social Care Impact Awards are about acknowledging, celebrating, and supporting the organisations that embody this vision through their values, passion, and hard work.

We believe that, in the face of significant and critical challenges, the commitment and dedication of the social care sector has never been in greater need of commemoration.

The Social Care Impact Awards are one way we are recognising this need. They will allow us to showcase excellence, support best practice, and share key insights—and, perhaps most importantly, build on the partnerships that already exist across the sector.

Kathryn Smith OBE

Chief Executive of the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)

Notes to editors

The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) improves the lives of people of all ages by co-producing, sharing, and supporting the use of the best available knowledge and evidence about what works in practice. We are a leading social care improvement independent charity working with organisations that support adults, families and children across the UK. We also work closely with related services such as health care and housing. We improve the quality of care and support services for adults and children by:

  • Identifying and sharing knowledge about what works and what’s new.
  • Supporting people who plan, commission, deliver and use services to put that knowledge into practice.
  • Informing, influencing and inspiring the direction of future practice and policy.

Our mission is to support best practice, shape policy and raise awareness of the importance of social care, working together. With the government’s ambition of reducing consultancy bills, SCIE can serve as the not-for-profit partner of government, working collaboratively to identify and implement improvements.

If you have any questions regarding this submission, please do not hesitate to contact media@scie.org.uk

Kathryn Smith, Chief Executive of the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), responds to The King’s Fund’s Social Care 360 report published today, 3 March 2025, highlighting the urgent need to address unmet need and inequality in social care.

Kathryn Smith OBE said:

The report lays bare the stark reality of unmet need in adult social care. With 2.1 million new requests for support in 2023/24 — a 15% increase since 2015/16 — it is clear that demand is rising rapidly. Particularly concerning is the 31% increase in requests from working-age adults, a group too often overlooked in discussions about social care. Yet, despite this surge, access to support remains deeply uneven, with many individuals falling through the cracks.

The report also highlights that the reliance on means-testing and local funding variations means that where you live and what you earn can determine the level of support you receive. This leaves many without the care they need to live with dignity and independence.

Although social care spending has risen to £32 billion, this increase has not been enough to close the widening gaps in provision. Persistent workforce shortages — exacerbated by low pay and a lack of recognition — further deepen these disparities.

The forthcoming Casey Commission is a critical moment for change. SCIE welcomes this opportunity to reimagine a care system that is fairer, more sustainable, and focused on tackling inequality. The Commission’s ambition to establish a National Care Service with consistent national standards is an important step in addressing the postcode lottery that leaves too many without the care they need.

Kathryn Smith OBE

Chief Executive of the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)

Notes to editors

The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) improves the lives of people of all ages by co-producing, sharing, and supporting the use of the best available knowledge and evidence about what works in practice. We are a leading social care improvement independent charity working with organisations that support adults, families and children across the UK. We also work closely with related services such as health care and housing. We improve the quality of care and support services for adults and children by:

  • Identifying and sharing knowledge about what works and what’s new.
  • Supporting people who plan, commission, deliver and use services to put that knowledge into practice.
  • Informing, influencing and inspiring the direction of future practice and policy.

Our mission is to support best practice, shape policy and raise awareness of the importance of social care, working together. With the government’s ambition of reducing consultancy bills, SCIE can serve as the not-for-profit partner of government, working collaboratively to identify and implement improvements.

If you have any questions regarding this submission, please do not hesitate to contact media@scie.org.uk

The Accelerating Reform Fund (ARF) is supporting innovation within adult social care. A key aim of the ARF is to strengthen collaboration across the 149 local authorities within their Integrated Care System (ICS) areas and beyond. The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) has been appointed by the Department of Health and Social Care to provide hands-on support to projects, ensuring local areas benefit from valuable shared learnings, peer support, and expert insights across the country. During mid-term reporting, it emerged that project leads had a desire to come together with other areas that are working on projects of a similar theme to their own so they could ask questions and learn from others.  

In response, SCIE established four Communities of Practice so projects could meet in a safe and communicative space to share knowledge and receive peer support.  

Communities of Practice  

Communities of Practice are a collaborative space where project leads can come together to troubleshoot common challenges, share enablers and resources, and benefit from peer-to-peer learning and support. 

As the ARF has 122 projects across 149 local areas, Communities of Practice were identified as a resource with valuable potential for shared learning across consortia. 

SCIE’s ARF team identified four themes under which key challenges and opportunities could benefit being addressed through their contact with other projects, as follows: 

  1. Promoting Shared Lives and recruiting carers 
  2. Digital self-service  
  3. Identifying and supporting unknown carers through hospital admission and discharge 
  4. Care Act compliance in digital solutions.  

The sessions, developed, hosted and facilitated by ARF practice development consultants (PDCs) at SCIE, took place in November and December 2024 online and included contributions from Experts by Experience, ARF project leads and innovation partners.  

SCIE has set up MS Teams channels for each Community of Practice, so peers have a digital space to share knowledge, spark ideas and collaborate, continuing conversations and solving problems together. SCIE PDCs are enabling this by posting case studies, articles, data insights and more to keep the conversation going. A next round of sessions is currently being developed to respond to challenges raised.   

The Benefits 

The challenges facing the social care sector are complex, but through shared learning, which drives engagement, fosters innovation, and builds relationships between colleagues, we can develop practical, scalable solutions. 

The Communities of Practice empower members to take ownership of their learning journey and directly apply it to their work—and to plan and prepare for future opportunities.   

The exchange of ideas and experiences sparks creative solutions that might not emerge in isolation. Furthermore, ongoing dialogue within these communities not only strengthens professional networks but also helps embed a culture of continuous learning and improvement.  

Through monitoring, evaluation, and learning, we have been able to produce comprehensive worksheets for each theme that break down key challenges, solutions and lessons learned following the active discussions that took place.  

Insights we have gathered include: 

  • Strong co-production with people with lived experience, their families and carers is essential. Establishing co-production groups, particularly those chaired by people with lived experience and carers, ensures that their voices are heard and they play a central role in shaping services. This approach leverages the expertise of those with lived experience, fostering a more inclusive and effective support system. Co-production can also be achieved through working with local community groups already in existence.  
  • Translating collected data into actionable insights requires active engagement with practitioners, people with lived experience or their family and carers. Continuous feedback mechanisms are essential for improving digital tools. 
  • Implementing small, tangible changes was emphasised as an effective strategy to win minds and hearts, both internally and externally. Demonstrating the effectiveness of these changes helps to build trust and shows that improvements can be made without overhauling the entire system at once.  
  • Sustainability involves continuous updates and strong stakeholder relationships, including partnership work across the system – not just financial aspects. Effective evaluation and impact measurement are essential for securing ongoing support. 

The Impact 

The Communities of Practice have been successful. Many participants found the workshops informative and valuable for understanding the range of projects and learning from others’ experiences. They appreciated hearing about shared challenges across schemes, which they reported as fostering a sense of connection and understanding.  

Participants also highlighted the innovative nature of certain projects and how they inspired reflection on their own practices.  

One participant said: “I found both the digital self-assessment workshop and the shared lives workshop informative and beneficial to get a better understanding of the range of projects that the ARF covers and to be able to learn from the experiences of others” . 

Another said: “I think I’ve learnt more about Shared Lives in this workshop than I have in 20 years of being in social work”. 

Recent feedback from the ARF evaluation partner, Ipsos, suggests that projects value the Communities of Practice for networking and gaining insights, and there are requests for more meaningful engagement with systems across the fund through pairing with those. PDCs will shape the next round of online workshops in response to this, along with increasing solution-focused conversations to encourage project progression.  

Ongoing updates from the ARF are being documented via the webpage, along with links to existing webinars, workshops, and summary sheets.  

With SCIE’s support to the ARF finishing at the end of March 2025, it is essential that projects can share their insights ahead of this—if you are an ARF project and would like to be added to one of the Communities of Practice before this, please get in touch with us via the Innovation Inbox. We hope the Communities of Practice can continue in some format beyond the life of the Fund so the important peer learning and knowledge sharing can continue to be of benefit to innovation across the sector.  

Notes to editors

The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) improves the lives of people of all ages by co-producing, sharing, and supporting the use of the best available knowledge and evidence about what works in practice. We are a leading social care improvement independent charity working with organisations that support adults, families and children across the UK. We also work closely with related services such as health care and housing. We improve the quality of care and support services for adults and children by:

  • Identifying and sharing knowledge about what works and what’s new.
  • Supporting people who plan, commission, deliver and use services to put that knowledge into practice.
  • Informing, influencing and inspiring the direction of future practice and policy.

Our mission is to support best practice, shape policy and raise awareness of the importance of social care, working together. With the government’s ambition of reducing consultancy bills, SCIE can serve as the not-for-profit partner of government, working collaboratively to identify and implement improvements.

If you have any questions regarding this submission, please do not hesitate to contact media@scie.org.uk

Today, the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) has launched a new best practice resource for the adult social care workforce: ‘Tackling inequalities in care for people with learning disabilities and autistic people’.

People with learning disabilities and autistic people continue to experience unacceptably poor health outcomes in comparison to the rest of the population, leading to lower life expectancy and a higher number of avoidable deaths.1

During the pandemic, a report from Public Health England2  found that people with learning disabilities were four times more likely to die from COVID-19—with researchers estimating the real rate may have been as high as six times once accounting for unreported deaths.

We recognise that some of the challenges that people with learning disabilities and autistic people experienced during and after the pandemic are not new. Prior to COVID-19, research3 revealed a lack of awareness, understanding and skills among the health and social care workforce about the health risks facing people with learning disabilities and how to ensure that they receive the right care. 

Following the Public Health England report, SCIE was funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and other charitable foundations to produce guidance building on the experiences of people with learning disabilities and autistic people.

SCIE’s new guidance aims to close the gap in skills and knowledge across the adult health and social care workforce. It gives commissioners and practitioners the practical steps, confidence, and legislative awareness needed to improve experiences of care and support.

SCIE established the SCIE Fliers, a group of people with lived experience of learning disabilities and autism, and worked with them as part of this project to understand their experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic and draw out lessons and opportunities for learning.

This guidance encompasses learning from our discussions and work with commissioners, service providers, and people with lived experience, as well as drawing on existing tools and resources.

A video has also been created in collaboration with the SCIE Fliers to sit alongside the guidance as an audiovisual guide. The SCIE Fliers co-scripted and co-storyboarded the video and feature in it.

Kathryn Smith OBE said:

SCIE’s vision is for a society that enables people who draw on social care to live fulfilling lives; where good, high-quality care maximises people’s choices and removes social inequality. It must be accessible to everyone who needs it—and empower them to live the lives they want to live.

This guidance highlights the important steps we must take to achieve this vision and transform the lives of people with learning disabilities and autistic people.

We must address systemic barriers and ensure that co-production is central to the design and delivery of care and support services. Only then will we have a system that is fair, equitable, and fit for the future.

Kathryn Smith OBE

Chief Executive of the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)

John Hersov, SCIE Fliers facilitator and consultant with over 40 years of experience in learning disability advocacy, said:

This guidance reminds us of what still needs to be done to ensure that health and social care services are truly responsive to the needs and requirements of this group of people.

It reinforces the need to cut through organisational charts and jargon-filled terminology to impact meaningfully on the individuals that we are there to serve.

The video personalises these aims. Hearing from experienced self-advocates who know what they are talking about; emphasising again that you need to try to understand better the person you are supporting.

“We hope you watch, use it, and tell your friends.

John Hersov

Additional information

We want to thank the various charitable trusts and foundations that have kindly made this project possible. This includes the National Lottery Community Fund, the Santa Barbara Heights Charitable Trust, and others who wish to remain anonymous. We also thank all members of the SCIE Fliers co-production group for their contribution.

If you are interested in supporting our work, or would like to hear more about how you could partner with us, please contact us at fundraising@scie.org.uk.

  1. House of Commons Committee in, ‘Inequalities in healthcare and employment for people with a learning disability and autistic people.’
  2. Public Health England in, ‘COVID-19: deaths of people with learning disabilities.’
  3. Pauline Heslop et al. in, ‘The Confidential Inquiry into premature deaths of people with intellectual disabilities in the UK: a population-based study.’

Notes to editors

The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) improves the lives of people of all ages by co-producing, sharing, and supporting the use of the best available knowledge and evidence about what works in practice. We are a leading social care improvement independent charity working with organisations that support adults, families and children across the UK. We also work closely with related services such as health care and housing. We improve the quality of care and support services for adults and children by:

  • Identifying and sharing knowledge about what works and what’s new.
  • Supporting people who plan, commission, deliver and use services to put that knowledge into practice.
  • Informing, influencing and inspiring the direction of future practice and policy.

Our mission is to support best practice, shape policy and raise awareness of the importance of social care, working together. With the government’s ambition of reducing consultancy bills, SCIE can serve as the not-for-profit partner of government, working collaboratively to identify and implement improvements.

If you have any questions regarding this submission, please do not hesitate to contact media@scie.org.uk

We are proud to announce that our Chief Executive, Kathryn Smith, has been awarded an OBE for Services to Social Care in His Majesty The King’s New Year Honours List 2025. 

This prestigious honour is a testament to her tireless dedication and leadership in social care since 1989. 

Kathryn Smith OBE said:

I am deeply honoured to have been awarded an OBE for Services to Social Care in His Majesty The King’s New Year Honours List 2025.
This moment allows me to reflect on what I have achieved in my thirty-five-year career and to renew my commitment to the sector and the people who draw on care and support.

It also gives me the opportunity to whole-heartedly thank my colleagues, past and present, for motivating and inspiring me—this award is a recognition of your passion and dedication as well as mine. I look forward to working with you to secure the future of social care.

Kathryn Smith OBE

Chief Executive of the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)

Notes to editors

The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) improves the lives of people of all ages by co-producing, sharing, and supporting the use of the best available knowledge and evidence about what works in practice. We are a leading social care improvement independent charity working with organisations that support adults, families and children across the UK. We also work closely with related services such as health care and housing. We improve the quality of care and support services for adults and children by:

  • Identifying and sharing knowledge about what works and what’s new.
  • Supporting people who plan, commission, deliver and use services to put that knowledge into practice.
  • Informing, influencing and inspiring the direction of future practice and policy.

Our mission is to support best practice, shape policy and raise awareness of the importance of social care, working together. With the government’s ambition of reducing consultancy bills, SCIE can serve as the not-for-profit partner of government, working collaboratively to identify and implement improvements.

If you have any questions regarding this submission, please do not hesitate to contact media@scie.org.uk

Today, Friday 3 January 2025, the Government has set out immediate investment and reforms to improve adult social care and support the workforce, as well as launching an independent commission into adult social care to be chaired by The Baroness Casey of Blackstock DBE CB, to inform the creation of a National Care Service underpinned by national standards, delivering consistency of care across the country.

Kathryn Smith OBE, Chief Executive at Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), said:

The Commission is an opportunity to build cross-party consensus which will end decades of gridlock and deliver a lasting settlement that will change lives for the better and build strong local communities.

We look forward to working with the Commission to address evolving care needs, workforce challenges, and fair financial contributions, while leveraging existing reports rather than starting from scratch.

There are brilliant examples of good practice and innovation from around the country. Harnessing and scaling innovation and improvement is crucial to navigating the current challenges and future-proofing the sector.

Kathryn Smith OBE

Chief Executive of the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)

Notes to editors

The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) improves the lives of people of all ages by co-producing, sharing, and supporting the use of the best available knowledge and evidence about what works in practice. We are a leading social care improvement independent charity working with organisations that support adults, families and children across the UK. We also work closely with related services such as health care and housing. We improve the quality of care and support services for adults and children by:

  • Identifying and sharing knowledge about what works and what’s new.
  • Supporting people who plan, commission, deliver and use services to put that knowledge into practice.
  • Informing, influencing and inspiring the direction of future practice and policy.

Our mission is to support best practice, shape policy and raise awareness of the importance of social care, working together. With the government’s ambition of reducing consultancy bills, SCIE can serve as the not-for-profit partner of government, working collaboratively to identify and implement improvements.

If you have any questions regarding this submission, please do not hesitate to contact media@scie.org.uk

The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) contributed to this year’s National Children and Adult Services Conference (NCASC) (27-29 November 2024, ACC Liverpool) by focusing on the potential of innovation, particularly digital innovation, to transform care services and experiences. The conference brought together leaders, practitioners, and innovators in health and social care to connect, collaborate, and explore key sector issues.

SCIE launched a strategic partnership with Agilisys, a leading provider of technology solutions to the public sector. Through the power of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), SCIE and Agilisys are focused on improving social care choices and supporting adults and children to lead the lives they choose as independently as possible.  

Together, SCIE and Agilysys hosted a panel event that explored the need for the social care sector to harness the power of GenAI. It brought together exceptional social care leaders, including:

  • Jayne Ratcliffe, Director of Adult Social Services at Oldham Council.
  • Rob Gregory, Assistant Director Digital Transformation and Intelligence at Wigan Council.
  • Tom Coulton, Digital Transformation and Financial Wellbeing – Adult Social Care at Wigan Council.
  • Georgia Chimbani, Corporate Director, Adult Health and Social Care at Tower Hamlets Borough Council.
  • Sam Coles, Head of Adult Social Care Charging, Accelerating Reform Fund (ARF) team at Department of Health and Social Care.
  • Andrew Mindenhall, Chief Executive Officer at Agilisys.
  • Kathryn Smith, Chief Executive at SCIE.

The panel underscored the critical importance of confidently adopting GenAI technologies, particularly exploring their current utilisation by councils and highlighting the benefits achieved. They discussed how to maintain a practitioner-led approach and include co-production, that is, working in equal partnership with people using services, carers, families and citizens, to ensure that local needs drive the technology to achieve the most effective local outcomes rather than tech solutions being shoe-horned into fit. They also examined the digital innovations implemented by Accelerating Reform Fund (ARF) projects, emphasising their contribution to improving service delivery and tackling complex challenges within communities.

SCIE hosted two workshops at NCASC. The first delved into the progress of the local innovation projects funded by the Government’s ARF.  The panellists reflected on the first six months of learning, on-the-ground challenges, and the need to be resilient, adaptable, and unafraid to pilot new approaches. They also pointed out the importance of strong governance and joint working across Local Councils. These discussions were particularly timely as the Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock, used his speech at NCASC to announce a £22.6 million boost to the ARF.

The second looked at how co-production supports sustainable, strengths-based approaches. It explored the power of co-production for both local authorities and individuals, successful examples of co-production, how to learn from these successes and from failures, and why diversity is essential for co-production to be effective.

Kathryn Smith, Chief Executive at SCIE, said:

The social care sector is navigating profound challenges as financial pressures combine with increasing, and unmet, demand. However, NCASC was marked by a sense of hope and determination. The sector came together, united by our shared commitment to improving the lives of people who draw on care and support services and their families, to foster meaningful change and embrace new opportunities.

We need a stronger, safer, and more innovative social care system. SCIE’s partnership with Agilisys combines the former’s wealth of trusted, evidence-based expertise and the latter’s years of experience as a public sector technology and innovation partner to drive the safe, ethical, and transformative adoption of GenAI in social care. The workshops SCIE hosted sparked meaningful discussions and provided invaluable insights that revealed the sector’s appetite for change and its shared resolve to embrace innovation grounded in co-production.

This is a crucial moment for social care. The spreading and scaling of innovation create new avenues for stabilising the sector and creating a society where care and support maximises people’s choices.

Kathryn Smith

Chief Executive of the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)

Andrew Mindenhall, Chief Executive Officer of Agilisys, said:

Following a successful launch at NCASC, we are proud to embark together with SCIE on a transformative journey to revolutionise the social care sector through innovation and collaboration.

Through the integration of GenAI and advanced digital solutions, we aim to enhance operational efficiency, improve outcomes, and empower those delivering and receiving care and support. Equally, we are committed to addressing the critical ethical considerations surrounding the use of GenAI in social care, ensuring that innovation serves the best interests of all.

This partnership represents a powerful union of cutting-edge technology and deep sector expertise and a shared vision to drive meaningful change. Together, we look forward to delivering innovation that truly makes a difference.

Andrew Mindenhall

Chief Executive Officer of Agilisys

Visit our main NCASC 2024 page for all updates and further information on digital innovation and advice.

NCASC hub

Notes to editors

The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) improves the lives of people of all ages by co-producing, sharing, and supporting the use of the best available knowledge and evidence about what works in practice. We are a leading social care improvement independent charity working with organisations that support adults, families and children across the UK. We also work closely with related services such as health care and housing. We improve the quality of care and support services for adults and children by:

  • Identifying and sharing knowledge about what works and what’s new.
  • Supporting people who plan, commission, deliver and use services to put that knowledge into practice.
  • Informing, influencing and inspiring the direction of future practice and policy.

Our mission is to support best practice, shape policy and raise awareness of the importance of social care, working together. With the government’s ambition of reducing consultancy bills, SCIE can serve as the not-for-profit partner of government, working collaboratively to identify and implement improvements.

If you have any questions regarding this submission, please do not hesitate to contact media@scie.org.uk

The Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock, announced a £22.6 million boost to the Accelerating Reform Fund (ARF) at the National Children and Adult Services Conference (NCASC) this afternoon.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)’s ARF aims to boost the quality and accessibility of adult social care by supporting innovation and scaling, and improving care and support for unpaid carers. 

With a wealth of trusted expertise in working collaboratively to help local areas transform care, SCIE has been appointed by DHSC to provide hands-on support to local areas to identify barriers and enablers, share key learnings and best practice, and support innovation through local partnerships and project development. 

Many of the ARF projects have the potential to drive productivity through early-support schemes and preventative systems, using digital tools to innovate in hospital discharge, carer-identification, and support for unpaid carers.

Kathryn Smith, Chief Executive at SCIE, said:

SCIE is proud to have been appointed to provide hands-on support to local areas for the ARF. We’re helping to identify issues and challenges and ensuring local authorities benefit from valuable shared learnings, peer support, and expert insights. This is the first ever such fund for social care innovation, so it’s incredibly important that we gather evidence from both success and failure on how to successfully tackle the barriers to scaling innovation, for the most effective future of social care.

Around 70% of projects have an element of supporting unpaid carers who, sadly, often do not get the recognition or support they deserve. Many of the projects also have the potential to drive productivity benefits through early-support schemes and preventative systems such as hospital discharge that look to embed new technologies.

We’re excited about the opportunities offered by the ARF. Learnings will be critical to laying the groundwork for a future social care service – one that better meets the needs people who draw on care, their family carers, and local communities. As the Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock, said in his speech: ‘The time for progress is now.’ Innovation offers us a way forward, creating new possibilities for offering early support and enabling independence.

Kathryn Smith

Chief Executive of the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)

Notes to editors

The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) improves the lives of people of all ages by co-producing, sharing, and supporting the use of the best available knowledge and evidence about what works in practice. We are a leading social care improvement independent charity working with organisations that support adults, families and children across the UK. We also work closely with related services such as health care and housing. We improve the quality of care and support services for adults and children by:

  • Identifying and sharing knowledge about what works and what’s new.
  • Supporting people who plan, commission, deliver and use services to put that knowledge into practice.
  • Informing, influencing and inspiring the direction of future practice and policy.

Our mission is to support best practice, shape policy and raise awareness of the importance of social care, working together. With the government’s ambition of reducing consultancy bills, SCIE can serve as the not-for-profit partner of government, working collaboratively to identify and implement improvements.

If you have any questions regarding this submission, please do not hesitate to contact media@scie.org.uk

Kathryn Smith, Chief Executive of the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), responds to the final report of the Older People’s Housing Taskforce—‘Our future homes: Housing that promotes wellbeing and community for an ageing population’—for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and Department of Health and Social Care, published yesterday, 26 November 2024.

It was an honour to be a part of the Taskforce. Through our work, it became clear that no decision about care and support should be made without considering where people live—and the Social Care Future vision should serve as our guiding ‘north star’ as we navigate the future of supported housing: ‘We all want to live in a place we call home with the people and things we love, in communities where we look out for one another, doing the things that matter most.’

As this report demonstrates, there is no singular blueprint or one-size-fits-all model for achieving this. Instead, a dynamic approach is needed that recognises the diverse needs and aspirations of older people.

Housing plays a crucial role in achieving the Government’s vision for our national health and social care services, but it is not enough to ‘get Britain building again’—the Government must invest in the quality of housing, including accessible and life-time designs, in conjunction with the investment in the quantity of housing.

Better housing options prevent care needs from escalating and reduce the demand for social care and NHS services. However, without a robust, long-term strategy—one that considers the report’s nine core recommendations—thousands could face a lack of choice and control in their older age.

We support the task force recommendation requiring local planning authorities to co-produce an older people’s housing strategy in consultation with senior citizens with lived experience. SCIE recently published a toolkit to support local areas in creating effective place-based plans that include a full range of housing options for older adults. We also recognise the importance of partnership working to develop a housing strategy and deliver it, and recently evaluated how a ‘Serious game’ could be used to break down silo working and form a shared vision for local housing options. We stand ready to use our evidence-based expertise to help guide and deliver the Government’s vision for a housing market that responds to the needs of a range of communities.

Kathryn Smith

Chief Executive of the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)

    Notes to editors

    The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) improves the lives of people of all ages by co-producing, sharing, and supporting the use of the best available knowledge and evidence about what works in practice. We are a leading social care improvement independent charity working with organisations that support adults, families and children across the UK. We also work closely with related services such as health care and housing. We improve the quality of care and support services for adults and children by:

    • Identifying and sharing knowledge about what works and what’s new.
    • Supporting people who plan, commission, deliver and use services to put that knowledge into practice.
    • Informing, influencing and inspiring the direction of future practice and policy.

    Our mission is to support best practice, shape policy and raise awareness of the importance of social care, working together. With the government’s ambition of reducing consultancy bills, SCIE can serve as the not-for-profit partner of government, working collaboratively to identify and implement improvements.

    Leading independent social care charity, the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), will be focusing on digital innovation this year at the National Children and Adult Services Conference (NCASC) (27-29 November 2024, ACC Liverpool). As the social care sector continues to face significant cost pressures, it is recognised that Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) and digital innovation offer huge potential, helping workers to spend more time on critical tasks, delivering personalised care, and less time on administrative tasks. 

    SCIE and Agilisys, the leading GenAI provider in the social care sector, are launching a strategic partnership to support social care organisations to adopt GenAI, working collaboratively to share knowledge, skills, and capabilities. Both SCIE and Agilisys have delivered significant impact through digital innovation work, including: 

    • SCIE’s digital consultancy for Bromley has projected a 30% improvement in productivity across core operational processes (assessments, care planning, review). 
    • Agilisys Transform’s QuickAction product has reduced adult social care business support time by est.400 FTE days per year at Wigan Council and transformed key worker activities in North Somerset Council and Humber & North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board by reducing admin time by c.50%. 

    SCIE is providing hands-on support to the local projects funded by the DHSC’s Accelerating Reform Fund (ARF), and in particular will be gathering learnings from this, the first ever such fund dedicated to social care innovation and unpaid carers, to inform future social care innovation more broadly. NCASC sees sector experts from the voluntary, community, and private sectors come together to engage with the latest updates and thinking on key policies and improvement agendas.  

    SCIE will be hosting two workshops, one of which will cover the progress of the innovative social care projects funded by the ARF so far, learnings, barriers, how to foster innovation and practical examples of success.   

    The other will take an in-depth look at how co-production, meaning how people with lived experience inform, shape and improve services by working in partnership, and how it supports sustainable, strengths-based approaches. Attendees will hear from Directors of Adult Social Services, people with lived experience and SCIE.  

    We will also have an exhibition stand (F10) where attendees can learn more about our work, meet our staff—who bring immense depth of expertise and passion for the cause based on frontline work and years of broad experience—and discuss the issues that are important to them.  

    Commenting on the partnership and the workshops, Kathryn Smith, Chief Executive of SCIE, said:

    This year’s conference comes against a backdrop of a new government but ongoing inflation, demographic change, rising workforce costs, increasing demand for care, and tightening local authority budgets.

    Thinking differently about social care delivery is necessary to navigating these ongoing challenges. That is why we are delighted to announce our exciting new partnership with GenAI provider Agilisys, so together we can put digital technology solutions safely into social care practice, achieving greater productivity and cost savings.

    We are hosting two workshops centred around doing things differently. Our work with the Department of Health and Social Care to deliver the Accelerating Reform Fund projects is creating a pipeline of scalable innovation to improve the efficiency, integration, and quality of care, which can lay the groundwork for a National Care Service. One workshop will explore the significant impact of this work and examples of successful innovation.

    Drawing on the knowledge, ideas, and experience of people who use social care is central to everything we do at SCIE and must be for the Government’s reform roadmap. Therefore, our second session focuses on how co-production supports sustainable, strengths-based approaches. We have considerable experience in supporting the sector in developing strengths-based approaches, and we want to work with social care bodies to grow an understanding of how these approaches can become a reality in the world of children and families’ social care.

    Kathryn Smith

    Chief Executive of the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)

    Andrew Mindenhall, Chief Executive Officer of Agilisys, said:

    The NCASC launch marks the start of an exciting step forward as Agilisys partners with the Social Care Institute for Excellence to revolutionise the social care sector through innovation and collaboration. Together, we aim to harness the power of AI and cutting-edge technology to drive efficiency, improve outcomes, and support those at the heart of social care.
    This partnership reflects our shared commitment to making a meaningful difference, combining Agilisys’ technological expertise with SCIE’s trusted knowledge and advocacy for excellence. From advancing Generative AI solutions to addressing key ethical considerations in social care, we’re proud to embark on this transformative journey.
    Here’s to a future of impactful innovation, strengthened by collaboration

    Andrew Mindenhall

    Chief Executive Officer of Agilisys

    Notes to editors

    The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) improves the lives of people of all ages by co-producing, sharing, and supporting the use of the best available knowledge and evidence about what works in practice. We are a leading social care improvement independent charity working with organisations that support adults, families and children across the UK. We also work closely with related services such as health care and housing. We improve the quality of care and support services for adults and children by:

    • Identifying and sharing knowledge about what works and what’s new.
    • Supporting people who plan, commission, deliver and use services to put that knowledge into practice.
    • Informing, influencing and inspiring the direction of future practice and policy.

    Our mission is to support best practice, shape policy and raise awareness of the importance of social care, working together. With the government’s ambition of reducing consultancy bills, SCIE can serve as the not-for-profit partner of government, working collaboratively to identify and implement improvements.


    Kathryn Smith, Chief Executive of the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), responds to the ADASS 2024 Autumn Survey published today, 6 November 2024.

    This report is the latest in a series highlighting the scale of the “ongoing and intensifying pressures” facing adult social care. Its release comes exactly a week after the Government’s Autumn Budget—which left us disappointed by the disparity between NHS and social care funding and concerned by rising care costs.

    The increasing level and complexity of care needs means that councils are struggling to fulfil their legal obligations to individuals accessing care and support and their carers—and yet the Government is asking them to make substantial savings. With almost a half of councils with social care responsibilities likely to apply for financial support in the coming years, without action there will be implications for the quality and availability of care and support services.

    The foundations for a robust National Care Service are currently unstable. Whilst the review of Carers Allowance and the introduction of a Fair Pay Agreement are significant steps forward, social care runs as a golden thread through many of the Government’s ambitions. Refocusing the system from sickness to prevention and hospital to community, as well as the success of the 10-year health plan, are all contingent upon a healthy, thriving social care sector. This starts with reviewing the current funding frameworks, such as the Better Care Fund, and funding settlements.

    Beyond funding, we need to find new ways to deliver social care more efficiently and effectively, such as through new care models and digital innovation. The spreading and scaling of innovation create new avenues for stabilising the sector. One example is digital solutions that provide local information and support to unpaid carers. We stand ready to work with the Government to help deliver their vision for the social care sector and drive the change required.

    Kathryn Smith

    Chief Executive of the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)

    Notes to editors

    The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) improves the lives of people of all ages by co-producing, sharing, and supporting the use of the best available knowledge and evidence about what works in practice. We are a leading social care improvement independent charity working with organisations that support adults, families and children across the UK. We also work closely with related services such as health care and housing. We improve the quality of care and support services for adults and children by:

    • Identifying and sharing knowledge about what works and what’s new.
    • Supporting people who plan, commission, deliver and use services to put that knowledge into practice.
    • Informing, influencing and inspiring the direction of future practice and policy.

    Our mission is to support best practice, shape policy and raise awareness of the importance of social care, working together. With the government’s ambition of reducing consultancy bills, SCIE can serve as the not-for-profit partner of government, working collaboratively to identify and implement improvements.