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

By Jess McGregor, ADASS President and Director of Adult Social Care, Camden Council

Last week I joined an early roundtable for Baroness Louise Casey’s Independent Commission on Adult Social Care. Around twenty of us — from local government, the NHS, voluntary and provider sectors, alongside people who draw on care — came together to look at real case studies and what they tell us about the system we all work in.

I was proud to represent ADASS members, drawing on what so many of you have shared with me — through our Spring Seminar, policy work, branch visits and conversations across the country. Thank you. Your experiences and ideas shaped what I took into the room.

What struck me most was Baroness Casey’s personal commitment and clarity of purpose. The Commission’s guiding principle is simple: to make things better for people. That sounds obvious, but in a system that can get lost in structures and process, it matters.

The team recognise the scale of the resource challenge, even though phase one won’t make funding recommendations. They also posed a fair question: even if there was more money, would everyone, everywhere get the care they need? It’s a good reminder that lasting change depends not just on funding, but on how well we design and join up the system around people.

Across the discussion we talked about the deep interdependence between social care and the wider public sector: housing, welfare, health, communities. People’s experiences aren’t only shaped by budgets; they’re shaped by whether systems connect around the individual. When social care works well, it’s the glue that helps hold lives — and communities — together.

In my group, a few themes came through strongly:

• Early, skilled support makes all the difference. Too often, the case studies lacked social work, occupational therapy, early action and community-led support. When those are missing, people are pushed down medical routes — waiting for a diagnosis to unlock help, or turning to the NHS when they need is social care advice and guidance. We don’t fix that by inventing new layers of navigation; we fix it by resourcing local authority teams to do what they do best: work with people to plan, advocate and connect — regardless of who ultimately funds the support.
• We need a clearer social contract. Too many people — and sometimes partners — don’t fully understand rights and entitlements under the Care Act, or the universal offer of advice and information. National and local awareness-raising could rebuild trust and set shared expectations about what care is, how it’s financed, and what we can each expect from one another and from the state.
• Reduce friction and bureaucracy. The system should feel seamless, integrated and digitally enabled — from CHC and Care Act eligibility to Disabled Facilities Grants and benefits. We also explored pooling budgets around the person, and thinking differently about support for people with progressive conditions where timely, predictable interventions can prevent crisis.

What came through in every part of the discussion was a shared commitment to keeping people at the centre — not systems or structures. It reminded me that good social care is as much about values and relationships as it is about process and policy.

I left hopeful. Yes, resources matter. But so do relationships, trust and simplicity. If we keep people — not processes — at the centre, we can make a difference.

What ADASS will do next

We’ll keep bringing your insights into the Commission’s work, making sure the voices of local government — and people who draw on care and support — are heard clearly. This is a chance to put social care at the heart of national reform, not on its margins, and to make the case for a fair, sustainable settlement that the public can understand and back.

How members can help

• Hosting visits: If you’ve been asked to host Baroness Casey and/or her team, please let the national ADASS team know at team@adass.org.uk so we can support you with preparation and consistent talking points rooted in members’ experience.

• Sharing evidence: If you have an issue or case study from your place that should inform future engagement with the Commission — by me or by ADASS — please get in touch directly or via the email above. Real stories, clearly told, change minds — and policy.