THE CARE ACT AND THE VOLUNTARY AND COMMUNITY SECTOR David Large April 2015

The Care Act and the VCS Government documents Care Act 2014 Care Act Factsheets Commentaries NCVO – VCS is key in delivering personalised services Local Authorities – Little change for service-users David Brindle – We can all apply for support as we get old Kim Thomas – Councils will have to recruit and train staff Kate Murray – Some support for carers Linda Pickard et al – Unpaid care remains hidden

Key points The Care Act 2014 does not change the existing legal framework However, an eligible person can now choose their care services and may reject a service that a social worker or other professional thinks they should have This means that the marketplace for care services is changing with an increasing emphasis on user-focused, responsive provision Providers will need systems and processes that can facilitate this Infrastructure organisations can supply information, act as advocates and provide brokerage for these services To do this they will work in partnership with commissioners

Impacts for Community Provision Drivers Opportunities for new providers Service-user based provision Cuts to public service budgets Delayers Caution over changes from public sector Fear of hidden consequences from the VCS Confusion as to the choice of options for service-users Likely outcomes Co-operation Innovation Range of new proposals

Next Steps 1. Community-based research to determine the key factors for the communities involved 2. Intelligence gathering about needs and views of the people, communities and organisations directly affected 3. Consultation activities suited to exploring these factors that take account of the needs and views of the relevant communities and care providers 4. Qualitative and quantitative analysis to obtain accurate and relevant research outcomes for those affected 5. Recommendations and next steps to determine actions to be taken

David Large