The University of Sheffield's Centre for Care welcomed Baroness Louise Casey and her team to the city last week. The visit formed part of the Casey Commission, an independent government initiative established to make adult social care better and fairer for everyone across the UK.
Organised by the Centre for Care and the University of Sheffield in collaboration with Sheffield City Council, the day was designed to showcase the innovative and collaborative work undertaken here in the city, and to provide the Commission with first-hand perspectives from those most affected by the current system.
The Centre for Care and Sheffield City Council co-led the morning session, bringing together researchers from the Universities of Sheffield and Birmingham, along with representatives from BeCaring. The focus was on key evidence-based research and good practice from initiatives like outcomes-based commissioning - which facilitated conversations on prevention, the care ecosystem, unpaid carer support, and the role of digital technology in social care.
In the afternoon, the Centre for Care in partnership with the Sheffield Adult Care Collaborative hosted a networking event at the Burton Street Foundation, an organisation recognised for its work with adults and young people with learning disabilities and physical impairments.
This brought together groups of people with lived experience of receiving care, carers, representatives from care providers, and the voluntary sector to discuss four critical themes central to the Commission’s work, including:
- Prevention - what helps people to maintain independence, health and quality of life
- Care workforce - people who are paid to work in care and support services
- Unpaid Carers - people who care for a friend or family member and are not paid
- Personalisation and person centred care and support
Baroness Casey and her team discussed their dedication to understanding the current adult social care challenges and to gain knowledge from those with expertise in the sector.
All of the key messages and discussion points gathered during the event are currently being compiled into a report. This will be shared directly with the Casey Commission, ensuring that the perspectives from those involved is included.
The Centre for Care is committed to continuing these discussions and assisting the Commission in its work to create an equitable and improved social care system for all.