News & campaigns

Press Releases / Statements

Social Care Leaders urge MPs to consider fairness in charging reform

Cathie Williams, Chief Executive of ADASS (Association of Directors of Adult Social Services) wrote to MPs on Friday to urge them to consider fairness for people with modest needs in relation to proposed amendments to the Care Act 2014 provisions which cap people’s liability for care costs. Cathie Williams said: “How we pay for social […]
30 June 2024
Press Releases

Stephen Chandler Speech to the National Children and Adult Services Conference

Stephen Chandler, ADASS President’s speech to the annual National Children and Adult Services Conference (NCASC), 24th November 2021 “Let me begin by playing a really big tribute and say ‘thank you’ to staff working in social care, to the unpaid carers, the volunteers, charities, care providers, council staff, elected members and the many organisations that […]
30 June 2024
Statements

ADASS responds to The King’s Fund, ‘Making care closer to home a reality’

This report published by the King’s Fund explores the factors that have prevented successive governments from putting primary and community services at its core and proposes several steps to begin this shift. Anna Hemmings, Joint Chief Executive of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) said:  “The evidence in this report is clear, now is […]
30 June 2024
Press Releases / Statements

ADASS calls for emergency measures to ensure care staff can provide vital care and support

Emergency measures must be put in place to ensure that social care staff get fuel for their cars so that they can continue to provide vital support to disabled and older people, care leaders say. ADASS, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, is hearing reports from around England of care staff struggling to […]
30 June 2024

The Government’s Winter Plan and Adult Social Care

Following the latest Government announcements, Stephen Chandler, ADASS President, said: “As the Government prepares to publish its winter plan, adult social care must be central to it and not an afterthought. We hope that the plan incorporates the recommendations of the excellent work led by David Pearson and involving colleagues across the sector which reviewed […]
30 June 2024
Statements

ADASS responds to Times Health Commission Report

Responding to the Times Health Commission report published today, ADASS joint chief executive, Anna Hemmings said: “This report makes clear the key role that quality, reliable social care must play to improve our health and wellbeing today and for future generations. The Commission has come up with range of constructive proposals, many in common with ideas […]
30 June 2024
Statements / Blog

ADASS joins the Community Rehabilitation Alliance

ADASS is proud to announce that is has become a member of the Community Rehabilitation Alliance (CRA) as it looks to continue to deliver on its key priorities for improving outcomes for people needing care and support in England. The aims of the CRA align closely to those of ADASS, particularly when it comes to the investment […]
30 June 2024
Statements

ADASS responds to the Public Account Committee report on adult social care

Responding to the report Cathie Williams, joint CEO of ADASS said: “The current drip feed funding approach is seriously undermining wellbeing, stability, progress and innovation in social care, with budgets only stretching to provide immediate crisis care instead of investment in long term support to enable us to be well and connected, not needing hospital or residential […]
30 June 2024

Economic recovery MUST meet the needs of people needing care and support

Chancellor Rishi Sunak ‘must put meeting the needs of older and disabled people, carers and families at the heart of his plans for economic recovery’ – social services directors say. Social care workers have played a vital and heroic role in responding to the coronavirus pandemic. They can now be central to the recovery. Meeting […]
30 June 2024

Social Care leaders calling on the Government to end 25 years of inaction & fix the social care system

ADASS, together with organisations speaking for more than 10 million people who have care and support needs, or are family carers or professionals who seek to meet those needs, are uniting in a joint call on ministers to break their silence on the future of social care. The unprecedented alliance says that the coronavirus crisis […]
30 June 2024
Press Releases

Stephen Chandler’s Inaugural Presidential Speech 2021

ADASS presidential speech – Stephen Chandler Good morning everyone. Thank you James for those kind words and thank you for all the hard work you have done as President in a year that none of us could ever have anticipated. Being president of ADASS is a major responsibility and role in what were ‘normal times’, […]
30 June 2024

Letter to the Prime Minister, Chancellor and Secretary of State on Urgent Social Care Reform

Today, leaders of organisations that represent adult social care nationally have written to the Prime minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to urge the Government to act now on reform of England’s social care system and publish its proposals before the Summer Recess. In common with all […]
30 June 2024

Stephen Chandler makes first speech as the new ADASS President 

In his first speech as the new President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS), Stephen Chandler reflected on the lessons of the last year, called on the Government to urgently set out its plans for the future of care and support, and asked for everyone to come together to speak up […]
30 June 2024
Statements

ADASS responds to new career pathway in adult social care

In response to the Government announcement to improve the career prospects of the care workforce through training, qualifications and a clearer, care career path, Anna Hemmings, Joint CEO of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services said: “Lack of career development is one of the main reasons staff leave adult social care, so the launch of the Care […]
30 June 2024
Statements

ADASS responds to HFT and Care England report on adult social care

In response to the new Sector Pulse Check report by HFT and Care England, Anna Hemmings, joint CEO of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services said: “ADASS welcomes the practical recommendations to ease pressure on the sector in this report.  We firmly agree that we need a long term, fully funded plan for social care so […]
30 June 2024
Press Releases / Statements

Chancellor must act to stabilise care and support 

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak must take decisive action to stabilise care and support this winter in his Budget and spending review on Wednesday, ADASS president Stephen Chandler says. News that there will be further help of almost £6bn for the NHS, on top of the lion’s share of funds to be raised over […]
30 June 2024
Press Releases

Social Care Day of Remembrance and Reflection

#RememberSocialCare: social care bodies join forces to launch Social Care Day of Remembrance and Reflection Social care bodies across England have joined together to launch Social Care Day of Remembrance and Reflection, to honour the work of the adult social care workforce during the pandemic, and those we sadly lost. A total of 21 organisations supported […]
30 June 2024
Statements

Exploitation and illegal practice in the recruitment and employment of international care workers

Cathie Williams, Joint Chief Executive of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) said: “The majority of care workers are employed by independent providers who take an ethical approach to recruiting overseas care workers. However, we need to urgently stop the exploitation and illegal practice carried out by some unscrupulous companies recruiting care […]
30 June 2024
Statements

ADASS responds to Pushed to the Edge Carers’ Trust Report

In response to the latest Carers’ Trust report “Pushed to the Edge”, Sarah McClinton, ADASS Vice President, said: “The report paints a stark and harrowing picture of the incredible challenges family carers have had to endure both before and throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. “Many carers are exhausted and at breaking point. “The government must now […]
30 June 2024
Statements

ADASS responds to the LGA Lead Members’ Survey

Responding to the findings of the latest survey from the LGA, Cathie Williams, ADASS Chief Executive said: “This report provides yet more evidence that social care is not fixed. The LGA survey shows that there is not enough money to make the changes which will mean that everyone can get the support they need and ensure […]
30 June 2024

ADASS responds to King’s Fund Sector Led Improvement Report

ADASS welcomes the King’s Fund commentary on Sector Led Improvement work. Our surveys of Directors of Adult Social Services show that there are increasing needs from hospital activity (or people waiting for hospital), carer breakdown, mental ill health, and domestic abuse. Against this, the workforce is shrinking due to inadequate pay, exhaustion, and lack of […]
30 June 2024
Statements

ADASS Responds to DHSC Announcement ‘Our Plan for Patients’

In response to today’s announcement, ADASS President, Sarah McClinton said: “Today’s announcement is a first step which responds to our calls for the Government to ‘provide winter funding to adult social care and the NHS in September 2022 to enable local areas to plan and prepare for an extremely challenging winter’. This will go some […]
30 June 2024
Statements

ADASS responds to Nuffield Trust report on unpaid carers

Responding to the latest Nuffield Trust report on unpaid carers, Cathie Williams, ADASS Chief Executive said: “Caring for each other is a critical part of our society but sometimes the care needed is intense and carers need support themselves. Without them, so much more paid health and social care would be needed. That is why […]
30 June 2024
Statements

ADASS Responds to LGSCO’s annual review of adult social care complaints

In response of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s Review 2021-22, an ADASS spokesperson said: “It is deeply concerning that the number of people making complaints has fallen so significantly. Whether this is because people have more complex needs, individuals and carers are exhausted, people feel less able to engage, or the impact of the […]
30 June 2024