Members of the Time to Act Reform Board, a group of leaders in care and support facilitated by Think Local Act Personal (TLAP), have come together to call for new investment in Earlier Action and Support interventions which enable more people to live their life their way, alongside the Local Government Association.
In a new report, the Time to Act Reform Board says that investing in earlier action and support will help to meet the Government’s promise to shift towards prevention, and to deliver its health and growth missions.
The report, ‘Earlier action and support: the case for prevention in adult social care and beyond’, brings together evidence on a range of interventions in a new Prevention Savings Model, which shows that every £1 invested in earlier action and support interventions creates a social return on investment averaging £3.17.
Supported by TLAP, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, the Care Provider Alliance, the Local Government Association, Mencap, Skills for Care, the Social Care Institute for Excellence, and Social Care Future, the report calls for investment in the budget in a programme of Earlier Action and Support Pathfinders to further build the evidence base to support a longer-term shift towards investment in these interventions across local authorities in England.
It defines ‘Earlier Action and Support’ as including information, advice and advocacy services; connectors and navigators; technology to support day-to-day life; community and social groups; carers support services; and supported housing. It highlights the importance of peer and mutual support in many of these models. The report also puts forward an assessment of the value of these interventions based on a sample of evidence-based interventions which can be built upon as more evidence emerges.
Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE, Associate Director of TLAP, says:
Prevention is not just about reducing future costs. This is not just an ‘invest to save’ moment but it is also an opportunity to ‘invest to grow.’ It’s about supporting people’s ability to live the lives they want and to flourish. By focusing on earlier action and support, we can build a system rooted in independence, resilience, and equity. This is our moment to align vision with action, empowering councils, communities, and individuals to co-create a future where everyone thrives.
Read the briefing ‘Earlier Action and Support’
