Over the course of State of the Nation: Global Perspectives, we have travelled across countries, systems, and ideas to explore one central question: how can we build a social care system that works for the world we live in today?

Join Marlene as she shares what it’s like to begin her legal career as a Paralegal at Access Social Care. From drafting letters and conducting legal research to supporting casework and client communication, she reflects on her journey into community care law, what inspired her to pursue this path, and how even the smallest tasks can make a meaningful difference in people’s everyday lives.

In the final episode of State of the Nation: Global Perspectives, Kari Gerstheimer is joined by Adelina Comas-Herrera, a leading expert in international long-term care systems, to reflect on the lessons emerging from across the series.

In Episode 8 of State of Our Nation: Global Perspectives, Kari Gerstheimer is joined by Dr Sam Bennett, Disability Programme Director at the Grattan Institute and former senior leader at the National Disability Insurance Agency. With experience spanning both the UK and Australia, Sam brings a rare combination of policy insight and frontline understanding.

We’re incredibly excited to share some fantastic news. Our AccessAva campaign, delivered in partnership with STAND, has been shortlisted for Best Not-for-Profit Campaign at this year’s UK Digital Excellence Awards! 

In Episode 7 of State of Our Nation: Global Perspectives, Kari Gerstheimer is joined by Andy McCabe to discuss the recent findings of the Casey Commission on social care, exploring societal changes, government responsibilities, and the future of social care reform in England. Featuring insights from Baroness Casey's speech at the Nuffield Conference, the discussion emphasises the importance of informed public engagement, transparency, and systemic change.

In Episode 6 of State of Our Nation: Global Perspectives, Kari Gerstheimer is joined by Brendan Martin to discuss his journey into social care and how small self managed neighbourhood teams in the Netherlands are delivering more relational, person centred care. The conversation explores why the model has been influential internationally and what has been learned from attempts to introduce similar approaches in the UK.

In Episode 5 of State of Our Nation: Global Perspectives, Kari Gerstheimer is joined by Marcus Riley. The conversation explores the structure of Australia’s social care system, including aged care, health and disability services delivered through the National Disability Insurance Scheme. While universal safety nets exist, the system remains fragmented, with tensions between federal and state responsibilities.

Our Community Hubs exist to make social care law and rights real for communities, especially for people who face the biggest barriers to getting support. Through outreach, training, casework, and partnership working, the Croydon Hub supports residents, carers and frontline professionals, and uses what we learn to influence better practice across the system. 

Join Nel as she shares what it’s like to start a legal career as a Paralegal Apprentice at Access Social Care. From researching the Care Act and attending Mental Health Act training, to learning on the job and supporting real clients, Nel reflects on her journey into community care law, the skills she’s developing, and what it means to be part of a mission-led team making a difference every day.

In Episode 4 of State of Our Nation: Global Perspectives, Kari Gerstheimer is joined by Donald Macaskill, Chief Executive of Scottish Care, for a wide-ranging and deeply reflective conversation about the state of social care in Scotland and what it reveals about the challenges facing care systems more broadly.

CCLG presents a half -day conference for lawyers representing people in need of Community Care services.

In Episode 3 of State of Our Nation: Global Perspectives, Kari speaks with Mansur Dalal, a leading voice in senior living and care. Mansur is a speaker and author, the former Chair of Common Age, which brings together ageing organisations across the 56 countries of the Commonwealth, and the founder and Chairman Emeritus of the Association of Senior Living India.

We’re proud to share the launch of the refreshed Access Social Care website. This update marks an important step forward in how we present our work, support our community, and communicate our impact. More than a visual refresh, the new site is about clarity, accessibility, and ensuring the right people can find the right information at the right time.

In Episode 2 of State of Our Nation: Global Perspectives, Kari is joined by Professor Vic Rayner OBE, Chief Executive of the National Care Forum, for a wide-ranging conversation that blends personal experience, international insight, and a clear challenge to how we think about social care.   

In December 2025, our legal team concluded a case supporting Sara, a young woman who sustained a traumatic brain injury at the age of 16 and has since been left with complex health needs, including profound communication challenges. Sara is unable to communicate through speech, writing, or gesture, and can only indicate “yes” or “no” through blinking, which significantly limits her ability to express needs and participate in conversations. 

Welcome to our new series of our social care podcast 'State of our Nation.

In this series, Kari Gerstheimer, CEO and founder of Access Social Care speaks with international experts to explore social care systems around the world. She is then joined by Andy McCabe from Social Care Future for the second part of the episode, 'State of our Nation: In Conversation', to reflect on what those global insights could mean for legal rights and social care reform here in England.  

Human Rights Matter Most When They Are Hardest to Defend

Human rights aren’t just principles for peaceful times—they are anchors in moments of uncertainty. When fear, division or political pressure intensify, human rights provide something essential: a shared foundation of fairness, dignity and accountability that protects us all.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools are changing the way we work at Access Social Care, whether that’s improving the quality of our written communications, speed up our tasks or helping us give people the right advice to help them understand their social care rights.

However, we remain responsible for the quality and accuracy of the content we produce. The use of any AI tool should therefore be seen as a supportive mechanism to create value and enable productivity, with the recognition that outputs from generative AI are susceptible to bias, mistakes and misinformation.

The Autumn Budget has landed, and once again it fails to deliver for adult social care. While the NHS received headline commitments, social care has largely been left behind. This omission matters.