We are conducting an external evaluation of our impact and would really appreciate ten minutes of your time to complete a short survey to gather many different views. Please help us by taking part in this survey, which is completely anonymous. You've got until 11 November to have your say.

Join the festival to hear the latest debates on emerging thinking and practice for the future of social care. All events will be live streamed, with a voluntary contribution to help cover costs. Members of TLAP & NCAG will be there. Show your support and join in.   

Join the annual conference for those interested in social care, children’s services, education and health to find out about key policy and improvement agendas.

Please come to the session on Wednesday 4 Nov at 12.30-1.30, From a Vision to a Better Future. This is open to attendees of both NCASC and Social Care Future Festival. You’ll hear from TLAP, Social care Future, ADASS, LGA and SCIE.

Our recent evidence review offers research, data and intelligence on how Covid has impacted the lives of people accessing care and support. In this blog, Tim Parkin, senior policy advisor at TLAP explains the rationale for not apportioning blame, over telling it how it is.

A day in the life interview to find out more about TLAP's co-production advisor Kate Pieroudis on what motivates her, her ideas for NCAG and ambitions for the future. If you are heading up a co-production group take a look, and get in touch for support and ideas. 

What does it feel like to move from supported living into your own home?  Read an account from NCAG member Sam who is living out the Making it Real I statement - I have a place I can call home and can live the life I want.

A common concern, addressed in this webinar, is how do we as a sector not lose sight of personalised approaches during Covid. What actions can councils take in their role as the the primary commissioners of voluntary, community and independent mental health and wellbeing services? 

Councils have a duty under the Care Act 2014 to shape social care markets and to support ‘personalisation’. The following report from Birmingham University offers recommendations targeted at both local authority and national government level.

There is also an animated summary of the findings: https://youtu.be/Nh16gdsZIb0

PAs employed through personal budget direct payments or personal health budgets- including any PAs employed via self-funding arrangements - are eligible for the annual flu vaccination.

Besides the guidance there is a leaflet and a letter of ‘entitlement’ for PAs. This shouldn’t be needed as GPs and community pharmacists have been directed in separate guidance that all PAs are eligible for the free winter flu vaccination, and aren’t required to provide evidence, but it is included just in case there are any issues locally.

Information related to PAs as well as other social care staff available via the DHSC website.

A coalition of over 60 organisations, brought together by the National Care Forum (NCF) have sent an open letter to Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and Helen Whately, Minister for Care, calling on the government to ensure that care homes are supported to enable visits by families and loved ones, now and in the future.