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Blog
Melanie Williams reflects on her year as President of ADASS
From leading debates on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour and building a relationship with a new government to developing a toolkit on tech-enabled care and shining a light on young people preparing for adulthood, Melanie Williams discusses her presidency highlights.
28 April 2025
Blog
How local councils are shaping mentally healthier communities
Andy Bell, Chief Executive of Centre for Mental Health, explores the vital role local councils play in supporting people’s mental health and shares how his organisation is working with councils to develop strategies, drive positive change, and ensure mental health remains a priority in local decision-making.
18 March 2025
Blog
Unlocking £300 million of income for adult social care
By Paul Mason, managing director – OnDemandservices, Civica Adult social care (ASC) is facing a funding gap of around £1.2bn this year, and that’s just to keep up with the current need. As a result, 81% of councils expect to overspend on their budgets in 2024/25. It’s no exaggeration to say that lots of councils are […]
10 March 2025
Blog
Making the case for proactive and preventative care: Insights from ADASS and TEC Services Association’s latest roundtable
By Paul Berney, TSA Associate ADASS and TEC Services Association’s (TSA) joint Commission on proactive and preventative Technology Enabled Care (TEC) hosted its second roundtable in January and the feedback we gathered was invaluable. Chaired by Melanie Williams, ADASS President, and Sir David Pearson, TEC Quality Chair, the event was attended by around 30 commission […]
28 February 2025
Blog
Celebrating the role of occupational therapy apprentices in adult social care
For National Apprenticeship Week 2025, occupational therapy apprentices discuss their roles.
17 February 2025
Blog
Improving support for young people transitioning into adult social care
ADASS President, Melanie Williams, discusses improving young people’s transition into adult social care.
4 February 2025
Blog
More occupational therapists needed to deliver the Disabled Facilities Grant
Claire Barcham, Senior Officer, Policy and Practice for ADASS looks at the challenge of distributing the Disabled Facilities Grant given the shortage of occupational therapists needed to deliver it.
28 January 2025
Blog
ADASS President’s end of year reflection
ADASS President, Melanie Williams reflects on the end of 2024, including giving evidence to the Health and Social Care Select Committee's inquiry on 'The 10 Year Plan' for the NHS.
23 December 2024
Blog
Mental Health Bill and the need for change
Claire Barcham. Senior Officer, Policy and Practice for ADASS, shares her views on the Mental Health Bill and the need for change.
16 December 2024
Blog
Reflections on the National Children and Adults Services Conference (NCASC) 2024
Sally Burlington, CEO of ADASS, shares her reflections from the National Children and Adults Services Conference (NCASC) 2024.
3 December 2024
Press Releases
Social care ‘endangered’ by ‘catastrophic’ national insurance increases, warns ADASS President
The Government’s Budget decision to increase employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) will have “catastrophic consequences for millions of people drawing on care and support” will warn Melanie Williams, President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS).
27 November 2024
Blog
Shaping neighbourhood care: The role of adult social services in transforming health and wellbeing
The government’s drive to move care into communities will be a cornerstone of next year’s NHS ten-year plan. In this blog, Richard Humphries, ADASS Associate Trustee, explores why adult social care is vital to making this vision a reality.
21 November 2024
Blog
Balancing adult social care: Rising costs, funding gaps, and the path forward
ADASS President, Melanie Williams reflects on the impact of the Autumn Budget on adult social care and the wider community sector.
18 November 2024
Blog
From treatment to prevention in health and social care: Hospital acquired deconditioning to reconditioning
Dr Anita Mottram, Principal Occupational Therapist for Kirklees Council, examines evidence on how a shift to reconditioning practices can keep people’s minds and bodies healthy during a hospital stay, with benefits for both health and social care.
4 November 2024
Blog
Rethinking Prevention: Are We Making a Costly Mistake?
Richard Keyse, founder and CEO of 2iC-Care, discusses how proactive and preventive intervention in adult social care leads to better outcomes for people and delivers long-term cost savings for councils.
30 September 2024
Blog
ADASS President’s reflections on social care at Labour Party Conference 24
ADASS President Melanie Williams reflects on this year's Labour Party Conference.
27 September 2024
Blog
The future for employed unpaid carers – what are the next steps?
Beverley Tarka, former President of ADASS and current DASS in Haringey, reflects on the Carers UK campaign for a statutory right to paid Carer’s leave and how this could provide the vital support they need.
24 September 2024
Blog
Celebrating the Essential Work of our Social Care Workforce
In celebration of Professional Care Workers' Week 2024, we caught up with Carolyn Nice, Director of Adults, Health and Wellbeing at Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council as she discusses how she got into social care work, the importance of the Skills for Care Workforce Strategy for Adult Social Care in England and how she thinks the work of social workers and carers can be valued.
19 September 2024
Blog
Hope, Challenge and Change in Adult Social Care
ADASS President Melanie Williams reflects on the relationship between social care and the NHS at the King's Fund Annual Conference 2024.
16 September 2024
Blog
Lord Darzi’s NHS report provides hope for social care
Jess McGregor, Director of Adult Social Services at Camden Council and Vice President of ADASS, shares her thoughts following Lord Darzi's NHS report.
12 September 2024
Press Releases
ADASS responds to UK riots
A statement by ADASS President, Melanie Williams, in response to the violent riots happening across the UK.
6 August 2024
Press Releases
ADASS welcomes Sally Burlington as new CEO
ADASS is delighted to announce the appointment of Sally Burlington as our new CEO, starting in early November 2024.
6 August 2024
Blog
Boosting digital skills and confidence in adult social care: a critical need for the future
Opinion piece by Alyson Scurfield, CEO of TSA, the national advisory body for technology enabled care (TEC), looks at the barriers Directors of Adult Social Services face to make digital technology mainstream in social care.
5 August 2024
Blog
Optimism for a time to act from a survey of risk and gloom
Our President, Melanie Williams, shares her thoughts following the launch of this year's annual survey of Directors of Adult Social Services.
22 July 2024