State of the Nation: Casey Special
Series 3 / Episode 7
Episode 7: A Creation Moment for Social Care
In Episode 7 of State of the Nation: Global Perspectives, Kari Gerstheimer and Andy McCabe reflect on the significance of a recent speech by Baroness Louise Casey at the Nuffield Trust conference and what it signals about the direction of the Casey Commission.
Baroness Casey described the current moment as a potential “creation moment” for social care in England. The phrase reflects the growing recognition that the pressures facing the system may require more fundamental change than incremental reform.
Building a national conversation about social care
One of the themes raised in the discussion is the challenge of building a meaningful national conversation about social care.
Public understanding of the system remains limited. Research continues to show that many people in England are unclear about what social care is, how it works and how it is funded.
This creates a challenge for the Casey Commission. If the Commission wants to engage the public in shaping the future of the system, the conversation must begin with improving understanding.
Andy suggests that approaches such as citizens’ assemblies could help create more informed discussion.
“If people have the opportunity to learn together about social care first,” he explains, “then you can have a much more meaningful conversation about what the system should look like.”
Transparency and funding
Funding remains at the centre of debates about the future of social care. Kari explains that Access Social Care has been calling for greater transparency about how central government determines whether funding for adult social care is sufficient.
Local authorities often report that they do not have the resources needed to meet their legal duties. However, the methodology used to calculate funding needs is not always clear.
Without transparency about how these decisions are made, it becomes harder to have an informed national conversation about reform.
The impact of unmet need
The discussion also touches on the long term impact of unmet need within the system. When councils are under pressure to meet statutory duties with limited resources, it becomes extremely difficult to invest in prevention or early support.
Andy reflects on how this shapes the way services operate.
“If organisations are struggling simply to meet their basic duties,” he says, “it becomes very difficult to focus on prevention.”
This tension between immediate demand and long term improvement is a challenge that any reform programme will need to address.
Valuing the social care workforce
Social care relies on a large number of skilled workers supporting people to live independently in their homes and communities. Yet pay progression within the sector remains extremely limited.
Kari highlights that the difference in pay between a new care worker and someone with several years of experience can be minimal. This raises questions about how care work is valued and how the sector can attract and retain experienced staff.
Andy also points out that workforce strategies must include personal assistants employed through direct payments. More than 100,000 people work in these roles across England, yet they are often overlooked in national discussions about the care workforce.
A moment for change
The Casey Commission arrives at a time when the pressures on social care are widely recognised.
Previous reviews and commissions have produced recommendations for reform, but many have not been fully implemented. There is now a growing sense that more fundamental change may be needed.
Whether this moment becomes the “creation moment” Baroness Casey described will depend on how the process unfolds.
If the conversation is transparent, inclusive and grounded in the experiences of people who rely on social care, the Commission has the opportunity to shape a system that better reflects the realities of modern life.
Episode 7 of State of Our Nation: Global Perspectives is out now.
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