05/12/05 - Social services hindered by lack of cash, says Behan

Social workers cannot deliver the improvements in services demanded by the government without a significant increase in the £14bn annual budget for social care, the chief inspector of social services said for the first time last wednesday.

In a departure from the inspectorate's non-controversial style, David Behan pointed to lack of support for carers as an example of the inadequacy of services.

He said 5 million people take responsibility for caring for relatives or neighbours who cannot look after themselves unaided. About 900,000 provide more than 50 hours' care a week, saving the Treasury a fortune by not relying on public services. Many of these carers became desperate for help or a brief period of respite. But only 65,000 received direct support from social services this year.

There were also deficiencies in support for foster families, adoption services and the educational achievement of children in care. Only half the 16-year-olds in care got more than one GCSE pass.

Mr Behan, chief executive of the Commission for Social Care Inspection, said local authorities had improved efficiency and the commission was proposing further measures to improve value for money.

"But there is only so much they can do without significant additional funding. The step change in the quality of service required by the government will not happen without extra resources."

Mr Behan said 84% of councils met the government's target of providing necessary social services within four weeks, but people were "still waiting too long before their care needs are being satisfied".

He said councils were increasingly focused on those most in need to the detriment of those needing simple support services. These could include providing hot meals, a home help or measures to help older people avoid falls and fractures. Such preventive work could save money in the long run, but councils often did not have the resources to do it.

Julie Jones, president of the Association of Directors of Social Services, said: "All the evidence shows that social care leaders have continued to pull quarts of social care services from the pint pots of resources they are often given in order to discharge those responsibilities.

"Despite the continuing, widely-acknowledged under-funding of our services and demands from the growing numbers of elderly and disabled people ... the overwhelming majority of councils serve most adults and children well."

Liam Byrne, the care services minister, said the chief inspector's views would be considered in next year's comprehensive spending review.

The quality of life of Britain's ageing population was already identified as one of the review's five big themes. Money could be saved by doing more to prevent older people needing expensive hospital treatment.

"If you look at the pressures building up, there is a question about how we make sure Britain ages positively," he said.

On the star ratings, he added: "It is excellent news that more councils than ever before are performing well. But one council coasting is one council too many."

Source : The Guardian