SCIE Report 33: Independence, community and environment: Final report of the Sustainable Social Care Learning Network

By Gemma Bradshaw, Janet Sillett and Amelia Walker, Local Government Information Unit (LGiU)

Published: July 2010

Context

Sustainable development is about pursuing social, economic and environmental goals simultaneously. There are different approaches to achieving this, but all of them seek to improve the quality of life of people today without compromising the needs of future generations.

Purpose

The Department of Health commissioned SCIE to lead a programme to bring together adult social care and health with sustainable development. The programme aims are to:

• consider what we mean by sustainable development in this context
• analyse what the key challenges are of developing a sustainable social care model
• raise awareness across the sector and to disseminate good practice
• recommend how sustainable social care can be taken forward, in particular to face the challenges presented by climate change.

A key project during 2009/10 was the Sustainable Social Care Local Authority Learning Network convened by the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU). This report sets out the findings and ideas arising from the Network.

SCIE is in discussion with LGiU and other partners about how to take forward some of these ideas and help embed sustainable development thinking and good practice within the sector.

Audience

This report will be of interest to anyone working in health and social care but will be of particular relevance to those commissioning services.