Definition
The Care Act 2014 defines ‘adult social care’ as including “all forms of personal care and other practical assistance for individuals who, by reason of age, illness, disability, pregnancy, childbirth, dependence on alcohol or drugs, or any other similar circumstances, are in need of such care or other assistance.”
The bigger picture
Definitions of adult social care vary, and the way people think about adult social care varies too. Lots of people think social care is just about care homes and services like home care and day centres. Lots of people also think and communicate about adult social care as being for ‘other’ people, particularly ‘the elderly’ and ‘the vulnerable’. It is often referred to in close connection to health care and hospitals – particularly in relation to problems with people leaving hospital, or as something that is broken and costly.
Saying it differently
Adult social care supports people at all ages and stages of life to live the life they choose to lead.
Avoid thinking about and defining social care in terms of an ‘industry’ or ‘sector’, or in relation to services and institutions. Focus definitions on support for people to live good lives, or support to live in a place we call home with the people and things that we love, in communities where we look out for one another, doing things that matter to us – in line with the Social Care Future vision. Talk about social care in terms of we, us and our, rather than using language that implies ‘them’.