ADULT CARE CHIEF GIVES SOCIAL CARE TOP BILLING AT CONFERENCE

Rochdale Council's social services boss - Cllr Dale Mulgrew has been helping shape the debate on issues concerning the future of social care at the LibDem Party Conference in Bouremouth.

Cllr Mulgrew has led a number events which have discussed many of the key current developments in social care around the personalisation of services and the new budget arrangements that are been introduced across the country.

Councillor Mulgrew took the time to attend an event which was organised jointly by Leonard Cheshire Disability, Mencap, and the Multiple Sclerosis Society, all important representative voices of the communities that are affected by social care matters.

The event also involved Mr Greg Mulholland MP, a senior shadow health minister from the LibDem Parliamentary team and the director of DEMOS - a key player in the world of Thinktanks and political thinking.

Cllr Mulgrew was able to suggest a topic for discussion at the event based on his experiences talking to people in Rochdale with disabilities who struggle to access work and voluntary placement opportunities. The title is presented was - 'work placement - is this a social imperative?'

This elicited a strong conversation, which saw involvement from lead representatives of Mencap. Cllr Mulgrew felt that not enough emphasis is placed on employers assisting with the move to supported employment, and also challenged whether the public sector was doing enough in this area.

Cllr Mulgrew added, 'This is the time when manifestos are being produced for the next general election, and so this is a critical juncture when lead spokesperson from all political parties are searching for suggestions and policy innovations to include in this crucial pledge to the electorate next June.'

'The discussions I had at this event were wide ranging, from touching on the recently launched green paper ont he future of social care funding, to an exmination of the role of the carer, and a focus on the social care profession as a whole and how new developments could see certain roles become more widely valued as a respected career option.'

He concluded, 'I was pleased to have chipped in with my subject because I think there are barriers and impediments to service users in Rochdale receiving advice, training and opportunities to get into work placements, whether they are voluntary or in a supported work environment. There is an essential social benefit to a work placement being championed, as the sense of well being and community involvement derived really has a positive health outcome.'