A recent Parliamentary answer from care services minister Phil (fulla-)Hope (I’ve renamed him for the optimism of his answering style and in the cause of better alliteration) identifies the main planks of the government’s plans for the future in social care. This is slightly edited; see the full thing at: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm081117/text/81117w0052.htm#column_231W

Phil Hope: In ‘Putting People First’, (2007), the Government, and their partners in the sector, set out their commitment to transform social care to meet the needs and expectations of those who need support and their families.

We have provided £520 million through the Social Care Reform Grant to help councils undertake the necessary reforms…a new National Director for Transforming Adult Social Care [Jeff Jerome] has been appointed to help councils achieve a systemic shift in adult care towards user control, prevention and enhanced information and advice services.

…the Office for Disability Issues published the Independent Living Strategy in March 2008… a five-year plan that seeks to realise the Government’s aim that all disabled people should be able to live autonomous lives, and to have the same choice, freedom, dignity and control over their lives as non-disabled people.

The Department, together with the Office of Disability Issues, is leading work on the ‘Life Chances’ commitment that, by 2010, there should be a user-led organisation (ULO) modelled on existing Centres for Independent Living in every local authority area with Social Services responsibilities. ULOs are led and controlled by disabled people and are key to both delivering personalisation and achieving independent living for disabled people.