The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) has published a new report, Towards a National Care Service: raising national standards of care, which looks at how national standards could improve adult social care across England.
As part of the Government’s ambition to create a National Care Service, the Casey Commission was launched to explore how national standards of care might support more consistent, fair and high-quality care and support. However, there is still limited clarity about what these standards should cover or how they would work in practice.
To help address this, SCIE, with support from The Access Group, brought together people who draw on care and support and people who work in social care through a series of roundtables. These conversations were focused on building a practical framework for national standards, which is set out in SCIE’s new report.
The report argues that the core challenge in social care is not a lack of shared values or vision, but the uneven way these are put into practice across the country. This has led to a postcode lottery in access, experiences, and outcomes. The report frames national standards as a way to clarify what is essential and non-negotiable, while protecting local flexibility in how people are supported.
Members of the National Co-production Advisory Group played a key role in the roundtables. Their contributions ensured the framework reflects the realities of people who draw on care and support, highlighting what matters most in their day-to-day lives.
Isaac Samuels OBE, Co-chair of the NCAG Board, was a keynote speaker at the report launch. Here is what they had to say:
“Care has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. Growing up as a queer, brown person with a few overlapping identities, I learnt early on that support is not always equal. Sometimes it shows up, sometimes it disappears, and too often it depends on where you live or who happens to be in charge that week.
That is why national care standards matter so much to me. They are not just words on a page or another set of rules. They are a promise. A promise that care will be safe, dependable, and centred on the person receiving it. A promise that we are seen as whole people, not problems to manage or boxes to tick.
This moment feels different. Seeing national care standards launched in Parliament and actually spoken about with pride feels like a shift. For once, people like me are not an afterthought. There is attention on what good care really looks like and on the people whose lives depend on it.
Care is not just a service. It is a human right. And if you rely on care, you should be able to trust that it works, wherever you are and whoever you are.
To me, standards are not about forcing everyone into the same mould. They are a shared promise across health, social care, mental health, and adult support that care will be consistent, safe, and personal. They help turn policy into reality, into the small everyday things that make somewhere feel like home or make you feel like you belong.
Looking ahead to the Casey Commission and the vision for 2028, it is clear we still have work to do. England has the Care Act 2014, but there is a big gap between what we say we value and what people actually experience. Standards give us a common reference point to start closing that gap.
They are not a magic fix. They will not solve funding pressures or staffing shortages overnight. But they focus attention where it should be, on people’s experiences, outcomes, and goals, and on learning and accountability rather than ticking boxes.
For me, this is personal. Seeing care standards celebrated in Parliament sends a powerful message that care matters and that our lives matter. My hope is that these standards help make care reliable, warm, and responsive for everyone, no matter who you are or how your life changes.
Because care is not just about meeting basic needs. It is about dignity, safety, and having the space to live your life fully. Care done right does not just support life, it makes life feel worth living.”
