Adult social care has been handed two major mirrors this month – the ADASS Spring Survey and the first national CQC Local Authority Assessment Report. Together, they show a system doing everything it can, but one that is stretched far beyond what’s sustainable.
Both reports highlight the same pressure points:
• rising complexity and demand
• long waits for assessments and reviews
• prevention slipping further out of reach
• unpaid carers absorbing system strain
• transitions for young people becoming a national risk
• leaders working with extraordinary commitment in increasingly difficult conditions
None of this is new but the alignment between ADASS and CQC makes it impossible to ignore. We now have a shared evidence base, from two different vantage points, telling us the same story.
At ARC England, we’ll be working alongside both organisations to respond to the issues raised.
We’ll continue to champion:
• co‑production with people who draw on care and support
• practical solutions that strengthen prevention and independence
• consistent, person‑centred transitions
• leadership development rooted in lived experience
• and a system that values the workforce who hold everything together
Adult social care is full of people who show up every day with compassion, creativity and determination. These reports don’t diminish that, they underline it. They show how much is being carried, and how much more is possible with the right investment, stability and shared commitment.
We’re ready to play our part. And we’ll keep working with partners across the sector to make sure the voices of people, families and frontline staff stay at the centre of every conversation.
Sam Leonard
ARC England Director