News & campaigns
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
Statements
ADASS responds to DHSC’s Disabled Facilities Grant funding boost
Our response to DHSC's Disabled Facilities Grant funding boost.
13 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
Statements
ADASS responds to local government finance settlement
In response to the provisional local government finance settlement, Jess McGregor, President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, said: “While it is good to see a three-year funding settlement, which will help councils plan and deliver services more effectively, today’s announcement does not provide any additional funding for adult social care above […]
17 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
Statements
ADASS policy statement: Neighbourhood Health
This paper is intended to confirm the policy position ADASS takes around Neighbourhood Health as a central part of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan for England.
1 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
Press Releases
High-cost social care packages for young adults surge by almost a third in a single year
This year's Autumn Survey has revealed that high-cost social care packages for young people surge by almost a third in a single year.
25 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
Statements
ADASS responds to the local government finance policy statement
Our response to the local government finance policy statement
21 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
Safeguarding: the changing nature of harm and the role of senior leaders
For Safeguarding Adults Week 2025, Dr Adi Cooper discusses the key issues for senior leaders in adult social care in safeguarding adults.
19 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
Blog
“We’ve always cared”: black women’s experiences in the care sector
Every October, Black History Month in the UK invites us to reflect on the contributions, struggles, and triumphs of Black communities. For Black women in the care sector, this month is more than a celebration it’s a reminder of a legacy of labour, resilience and resistance that stretches back generations, writes Georgia Chimbani.
4 November 2025
Statements
ADASS policy statement: Preparation for Adulthood
This paper is intended to confirm the policy position ADASS takes around Preparation for Adulthood (PfA), which can then be used to inform sector led improvement, reform and development of regulation, and to drive specific policy and practice for this area.
3 November 2025
Blog
Unpaid caring – the hidden health inequality we can no longer ignore and why we must intervene to prevent ill-health in carers
Laura Greene, Head of Volunteering & Community Partnerships and Lead for Unpaid Carers at Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust, discusses the significant impact of caring and hospital discharge on carers’ health, provides insight on preventive health improvement programmes, and why adult social care directors are best placed to reframe caring as a determinant of health.
20 October 2025
