A conference hosted at Coventry University will bring together
leading academics and practitioners to debate how the Government's
'Vision for Adult Social Care' can be made a reality.
Influential figures from universities, local authorities and
community groups will exchange ideas on personal budgets, and what
can be done to speed up their introduction to people using social
care services.
The Government's plan for personal budgets was launched in
November last year by Care Services Minister Paul Burstow, with the
concept being hailed as the most significant change to how social
care is organised and provided for a generation.
Despite widespread praise for personal budgets, however, there
are concerns over:
§ the pace with which they are being introduced;
§ the levels of budgets for different groups in
different localities;
§ whether they are the best approach for
everyone;
§ the impact on local care economies;
§ safeguarding and accountability issues;
§ whether they will be properly funded.
As well as generating discussion around these issues, the
conference will act as a forum in which national experts can come
together to review the latest research evidence and policy analysis
about personal budgets.
Coventry University recently obtained funding from the NIHR
School for Social Care Research to carry out a national study of
the impact of personal budgets on older people.
John Woolham, research fellow in the Department of Social and
Community Studies at Coventry University, said:
"Personal budgets are about 'personalising' social care services
- giving people who are eligible for help money with which they can
buy their own care and support. However, although the introduction
of personal budgets signals a significant change in the way social
care is provided, there are concerns about whether people will
always benefit as a result. Our conference aims to bring
together practitioners, managers and academics to take a critical
look at the emerging evidence."
Personalisation and Personal Budgets: Lessons from Research,
Challenges from Policy and Practice will take place on Friday 15th
July at Coventry University's TechnoCentre, Puma Way, CV1 2TT.
The conference will be of interest to anyone involved in
personalisation and personal budgets, whether they work in local
authority, academic or care provider settings. Attendance costs
£70 per delegate and includes lunch and refreshments.
Please visit www.eventsforce.net/cu/67/register
to register for the conference.
For more information about Coventry University, please visit
their website here: www.coventry.ac.uk