Adult social care is close to my heart in Barking and Dagenham I made a career out of it for nine years and worked across a range of services during those years, collaborating with some incredible people delivering brilliant services. For most of us this is a service that at some point we all interact with whether for ourselves or looking after ageing parents and relatives. It is undeniable that adult social care is a vital service designed to support older adults and those with disabilities or long-term health conditions. It ensures they can live with dignity and as independently as possible.
When Amplify our business support programme started, I was personally delighted that the BEC could support fifteen local care businesses to improve their offer and develop their business model. At the end of June, we say adios to our first graduates of the programme and are embarking on onboarding the next group through the summer, ready for a September start.
The world of care is huge, and it is big business, not just in Barking and Dagenham but across the country. Skills for Care has published ‘The value of adult social care in England’ report which shows the growing adult social care sector, and its skilled workforce contributes £50.3 billion to the English economy. This can range from personal assistance at home with daily living tasks to more structured residential support or nursing care.
Back in 2012, the BEC was delighted to support Barking and Dagenham council and the Northeast London Foundation trust in setting up Care City CIC. If you are not familiar Care City is an innovation centre for healthy ageing and regeneration, based in Barking. Their mission is to support people across Northeast London to live happier, healthier lives. It does brilliant work across public services, health and the social sector and has radically shifted the position of care in our borough. (http://www.carecity.org)
When we designed the Care programme; I always knew we needed Care City to be part of this journey for supporting care businesses; there is definitely need to think about the art of the possible when delivering care; moving away from traditional commissioning models and embracing the support that digital technology can bring to improve the wellbeing of people who need care and support.
We are over the moon to secure Matt Skinner Chief Executive of Care City CIC (and his team of course), in my opinion Matt and co are some of the most influential voices in the industry, bringing a wealth of knowledge and unique perspectives. He and his team work tirelessly to improve the health and wellbeing of our residents and wider afield as well.
If you’re a care business in Barking and Dagenham, whether you are looking to gain insights into the latest initiatives, learn from real-life case studies, or simply get inspired, this event has you covered. Expect the unexpected and leave with brimming with innovative ideas.
As, we inch closer to the date of our much-anticipated event, I cannot help but feel a surge of excitement that I just have to share with you all. This session promises to be a game-changer, and I wanted to take the opportunity to tell you exactly why you can’t afford to miss it!
If you are a care business in Barking and Dagenham, you can register for the event here.