Social care
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It is hard to get out of the system if you have been sectioned – it’s difficult to get the things like relationships, employment and education that are just a part of normal life for your peers. Social care levels the playing field. Mental health support can help people to the point that they can do things for themselves.
Isaac, someone with experience of adult social care Isaac, someone with experience of adult social care
Supporting recovery, promoting independence
In 2019, Prime Minister Boris Johnson vowed to “fix social care, once and for all”, putting a spotlight on the crucial but misunderstood system.
The skilled and dedicated mental health social care workforce help people get appropriate aftercare after a stay in a mental health hospital. They support them to stay well, to live independently and participate in community life.
One in every £12 spent on social care goes toward mental health social care support. Any plan to reform mental health social care cannot be considered comprehensive without it.
We pulled together a briefing for the government explaining the variety of services included in mental health social care and the basics on what impact it has on people.
Managing the nation’s mental health
“A mental health social care support package for someone living with mental illness should be personalised to each individual,” said Alex from our campaigns team in a 2021 blog.
“But it might include help with taking medication, keeping the house clean and tidy, managing personal finances, getting outside in the community, taking part in local activities, finding work.”
Alex goes on to discuss the challenges that social care helps remove for people living with a severe mental illness, the impact of Covid-19, and what we want the government to do to better support people living with mental illness
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Transforming community services
Change can also come at a local level. In our Local Authorities and the Community Mental Health Framework briefing, we asked regional authorities to think about the role they can play in improving and protecting social care services.
Download the briefing Download the briefing
Covid-19
The Covid-19 pandemic had a devastating effect on the state of mental health social care. Lockdowns and social isolation led to people living with mental illness struggling to access much-needed support from statutory services, loved ones and peer-to-peer support.
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I now have less care and support. I am unable to have my personal assistant working due to lockdown. I have not been assigned a new social worker and have no support from council or social care to check in on me.
Someone living with mental illness Someone living with mental illness
According to a survey we conducted of over 1,400 people, carers were picking up the burden and, in many cases, people had lost all contact with the care they needed. We found it paramount to brief the government on improving the scrutiny, transparency and accountability of the system during and after the pandemic.