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Blog

Supported Housing: the missing link in social care reform

Neil Revely makes the case that supported housing is not a peripheral concern for adult social care but the foundation upon which good care depends. Without stable, appropriate housing, effective adult social care simply cannot be delivered. He sets out the key policy actions needed to put supported housing where it belongs: at the heart of policy, planning and investment decisions.
17 March 2026
Blog

Upholding Human Rights: promoting the vote for adults with learning disabilities 

Bradford Council’s Adults with Disabilities Team share insights on their Promote the Vote campaign which sees social workers support care homes and supported living providers with guidance to ensure that adults with learning disabilities understand their right to vote in local or national elections and are supported with the process. 
12 March 2026
Blog

Richard Webb: a DASS perspective leading adult social care 

Richard Webb looks back over his role as DASS as he prepares to step into the role of Chief Executive with a local authority. 
3 March 2026
Blog

Looking ahead: supporting social care through change 

Kathryn Marsden OBE reflects on her time as the Chief Executive at the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) as she prepares to step down from her role.
2 March 2026
Blog

Why storytelling matters in adult social care: insights from North West ADASS

North West ADASS reflect on the branch’s exploration of storytelling.
27 February 2026
Blog

Why I became an ADASS Trustee, and why you should consider it too

By Caroline Baria, ADASS Trustee and Director of Adults and Health at Leeds City Council.
24 February 2026
Blog

Our Life Stories

At the heart of the complex disability history of the last decades are real people, each with a story to share. Our Life Stories is a first of its kind peer research project, co-produced by people with learning disabilities and autistic people, intended to document these stories authentically and preserve them for future generations.
19 February 2026
Blog

Stepping forward: Becoming an ADASS Trustee bolstered my leadership skills, and it could do the same for you

By Melanie Williams, ADASS Immediate Past President and Executive Director – People Services at West Northamptonshire Council. As I approach the end of my year as Immediate Past President of ADASS, and prepare to step down from the Board of Trustees, it feels like the right moment to reflect on my journey with ADASS which began when I took on […]
13 February 2026
Blog

Care where we live

James Bullion, Assistant Director of Policy for the Casey Review at the Local Government Association (LGA), sets out why adult social care needs more than funding alone, and why councils must play a central role in shaping sustainable reform through the LGA’s new ‘Care where we live’ engagement series.
10 February 2026
Blog

Ending homelessness: a crucial year ahead

The new national plan to end homelessness and rough sleeping is an important first step, but it fails to address some important issues for local authorities, writes Liz Zacharias, Director of Campbell Tickell.
9 February 2026
Blog

Beyond adaptations: why social care needs to unlock the full potential of occupational therapy

As adult social care looks to shift from crisis to prevention, occupational therapists have a vital role to play. Dr Anita Mottram, Principal Occupational Therapist for Kirklees Council, discusses why unlocking that potential requires not just funding, but time, trust and investment in the OT workforce.
28 January 2026
Blog

Why social care professionals are leading the way in purposeful AI adoption and what it means for the future of care

Drawing on research with nearly 300 health and social care professionals, our partners at System C explore why social care is leading the way in purposeful AI adoption, and what this means for the future of person-centred care.
16 January 2026
Blog

Why keeping care homes open matters: lessons from Covid-19 for local authorities and care providers

COVID-19 changed how care homes operate. This blog sets out why keeping them open matters and what local authorities and providers can learn.
9 January 2026
Blog

Adult social care in 2025: What changed, what didn’t and what it means for the year ahead

While 2025 was a challenging year for adult social care, it was also a pivotal one. This article reflects on key moments from the past year and what they mean for adult social care in 2026.
6 January 2026
Blog

The only way to deliver better care is for the NHS and local authorities to work together more closely – here are seven steps to make it happen in 2026

Jess McGregor, President of ADASS, and Matthew Taylor, CEO of NHS Confederation, discuss the seven steps to deliver better care with the NHS and local authorities working together.
18 December 2025
Blog

Peterborough City Council’s digital transformation journey: empowering its workforce and delivering better outcomes for people 

Tina Hornsby shares how digital innovation at Peterborough City Council, including its use of AI is improving outcomes for social care practitioners and people who draw on care and support. 
15 December 2025
Blog

Introducing Rashpal Bishop, ADASS’ incoming Vice President in 2026 

Rashpal Bishop is due to take up the post of ADASS Vice President and Trustee in 2026. In her first blog for the Association, she introduces herself and tells us a bit about her dual passion for digital and carers, and why she was inspired to stand as ADASS Vice President. 
12 December 2025
Blog

Reframing the conversation: Reflections on a year of narrative change training

Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of delivering our How to Talk About Social Care training to ADASS members across England, writes ADASS Engagement Officer Phoebe Kerr. This work is funded thanks to the generous support of the Rayne Foundation and is linked to our partnership with the Local Government Association (LGA), Think […]
9 December 2025
Press Releases / Statements

ADASS President’s NCASC 2025 speech

ADASS President, Jess McGregor, opens the National Children and Adult Services Conference (NCASC) 2025.
26 November 2025
Blog

We can all agree social care is complex. But does that help?

Professor Catherine Needham, Professor of Public Policy and Public Management at the University of Birmingham and Associate Director of SSCR, reflects on the complexity of social care and why it must be approached as an interconnected ecosystem.
24 November 2025
Blog

Strengthening support for unpaid carers: practical guidance for adult social services

To mark Carers Rights Day 2025, this blog brings together a set of key resources designed to help Directors of adult social services, local authorities, and partner organisations strengthen support for unpaid carers. These tools offer practical guidance, examples of good practice, and insights from across the sector to inform local improvement work. Below, we […]
20 November 2025
Blog

What I took from a Casey Commission evidence session — and why people must be at the heart of reform

Jess McGregor, ADASS President and Director of Adult Social Care at Camden Council, reflects on an early roundtable for Baroness Louise Casey’s Independent Commission on Adult Social Care.
18 November 2025
Blog

From deprivation of liberty to liberty protection – why we need a different approach to safeguarding liberty

Part 1: From Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards to Liberty Protection Safeguards Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) are the current legal protections for people who lack capacity and are deprived of their liberty in residential care or hospital settings. Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) are the new system the Government plans to start implementing later in this […]
17 November 2025
Blog

A community OT shares how social prescribing can transform lives

To celebrate Occupational Therapy Week 2025, William Dyett, an Occupational Therapy Apprentice, looks at the role of social prescribing and why occupational therapists can make the case for prevention to improve positive outcomes for people and local authorities. 
7 November 2025
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