Scrap single word ratings for Council adult social care services following Ofsted change

THE Local Government Association (LGA) is calling for the scrapping of single word ratings in Care Quality Commission (CQC) assessments of Councils' adult social care services, following the decision to end single word ratings in Ofsted inspections.

The LGA, which represents 350 Councils across England, said CQC's existing assessment reports, which provide helpful narrative summaries and more detailed analysis by different themes, is sufficient and provide a useful and balanced picture of the quality of services.

This call comes in light of the recent decision to end single word ratings in Ofsted inspections, including:- for children's social care teams and settings with immediate effect. The LGA believes this judgement is relevant and should extend to CQC's assessment of Councils' adult social care services.

Adult social care has faced over a decade of underfunding and unmet and under met need has grown as a consequence. Councils believe single word ratings do not do justice to the complex and difficult state that adult social care is in.

The LGA said Government needs to provide immediate investment to end this crisis, address unmet and under met need and urgently agree a long-term funding and reform plan to allow all people to access the care and support services they need to live an equal life.

Adult social care has faced over a decade of underfunding and unmet and under-met need has grown as a consequence. Councils believe single word ratings do not do justice to the complex and difficult state that adult social care is in.

Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the LGA's Community Wellbeing Board said:- "Local Government fully supports transparency and accountability. But while assessment and regulation are both important and helpful in driving improvements to services, single word or phrase judgements cannot ever adequately capture the complexity of adult social care and the work Councils do to meet their legal obligations. The Government must ensure that the assurance process is, and remains, productive and supportive for Councils. Sufficient time must be given to learn the lessons from Councils' experiences as more go through the assessment process. Working with people who draw on care and support, Councils and care providers, the Government also needs to urgently develop and implement a fully costed, long term, sustainable plan to fund social care. Investment and reform are critical for bringing about real change and better outcomes for people."

RMT calls on Labour to relax fiscal rules and to introduce wealth tax

TRANSPORT union, RMT has called for the Treasury to relax fiscal rules and to introduce a wealth tax to fund public services. The union welcomes the Labour Government being elected and their commitment to a new deal for workers. However, the UK has a £500bn public investment gap compared to OECD countries. And the union stresses that relying on future economic growth alone will not solve the current crisis. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said:- "There is an urgent need for Labour to make immediate, significant investments in public services and infrastructure to restore living standards and secure sustainable economic growth. This will require reforms in taxation and borrowing, alongside bolstering collective bargaining rights to ensure work pays fairly. We call on Chancellor Rachel Reeves and the Labour Government to introduce a proactive industrial strategy that includes:- public ownership and investment in key sectors to promote long-term economic stability. Taxing unearned wealth from the richest in society must be a goal for the trade union movement if we are to create the kind of country that works for the many and not the few."

Liverpool Lib Dems:- a safe space must be a priority for those seeking refuge

LIVERPOOL'S main opposition party has called for more to be done to support those experiencing domestic violence in the City.

In Liverpool there were over 14,000 reported domestic abuse incidents recorded to the Police, with 10,478 domestic abuse crimes recorded within:- 2020 to 2021.

On Thursday, 12 September 2024, Liverpool City Council's Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee considered a report on the impact of domestic abuse on Children's services in Liverpool.

7.3% of women and 3.6% of men experience domestic abuse but it is feared that figures are almost certainly reduced by underreporting. In Liverpool, between:- April 2020 and March 20021:- 75% (7641) of Police recorded domestic abuse victims / survivors were female and 25% (2531) male.

Liz Makinson, Shadow Cabinet Member for City Health, Equality and Adult Social Services has slammed the lack of emergency support:- "It's self evident that we face a massive challenge in supporting the victims and survivors of domestic abuse, as well as stamping it out in society. Currently there are 3 refuges funded by the City Council providing support to women and their children. However there are still huge gaps in the provision; there are no emergency safe space places for those survivors and victims people who are Male, LGBTQ+, disabled or have complex needs. Notably, Council feels it cannot provide adequate support to those experienced harmful practice, Honour Based Abuse and violence, forced marriage and Female Genital Mutilation. This is a time when these people are at their most vulnerable and they desperately need help. I'm glad that the Council recognises and identified this gap in their provision and now must act to rectify it. Although the Council's vision for everyone to have a safe, dignified and empowering place to live is admirable it doesn't feel realistic. The reality is that the rising cost of private rents and the lack of social housing in the City is having a significantly greater impact on those suffering abuse. Many of them feel isolated and trapped, unable to leave because they don't know how they will afford to live on their own. When you add in further complexities like the lack of accessible accommodation means disabled people are sometimes left with little alternative but to stay in abusive relationships. As an opposition group, we will be working constructively with the administration to tackle this issue for the survivors and victims of domestic abuse."

At the next meeting of Full Council the Liverpool Lib Dems, we are told that they will be supporting the motion to put forward supporting action on violence against women and girls.