ADASS Spring Survey 2026
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ADASS Spring Survey 2026
Foreword and Introduction
This year’s survey is being published at a time of significant structural change across the public sector and significant economic and political turbulence. However, with change also comes opportunity.
Whilst the results from the survey paint a challenging picture of financial pressures, increasing levels of need and diminishing levels of confidence from Directors in meeting their legal duties to residents, we know that Baroness Casey’s Independent Commission on Adult Social Care is working hard to identify what could and should be done differently. After numerous attempts to reform adult social care, we need reforms to stick both as a sector and as a society. We are hopeful that politics will be put aside for the greater good.
It’s important that we don’t remain in the crouch position and wait for Baroness Casey’s reports to save adult social care. We need to crack on, to make sure people experience the best current version of adult social care, wherever they live or work. We know that when adult social care works well in our local places it’s because it has a clear mission and policies but ultimately, it’s a network of relationships in which every person plays a part. Adult social care at its best nurtures strengths and finds solutions, getting alongside people, learning and growing together.
This survey shines a light on areas where work in the short- to medium-term could make a difference to people’s lives, like safeguarding adults and supporting mental health needs. We will endeavour to raise these issues with Government, seek to gain further understanding from Directors, their staff and people with lived experience, and seek to identify and share where approaches are working well to support improvement.
The survey also highlights the interconnectivity between public services such as adult social care, the police and the NHS. In particular, how the financial pressures and changes in support for people with high levels of complex needs and experiencing poor mental health by the NHS are driving up costs and increased need for adult social care. It’s clear change is needed to put people back at the centre of the support rather than which organisation pays and is responsible.
We extend our gratitude to ADASS members and their staff for taking the time to collate answers and complete the survey. We’d like to thank policy and communication colleagues in the ADASS national team for pulling this report together, with analytical support from the research and data team in Partners in Care and Health. We also appreciate the invaluable input and advice from ADASS Trustees and our Resources Co-Lead whose collective experiences inform the messages shared here, both locally and nationally.
Phil Holmes – ADASS President
Sally Burlington – ADASS Chief Executive
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ADASS Spring Survey 2025
ADASS Spring Survey 2024
ADASS Autumn Survey 2024
