What is adult social care?

Adult social care aims to help people stay independent, safe and well so they can live the lives they want to. This includes people who are frail, have disabilities or neurodiversity, mental health issues as well as the people who care for them.

We provide information and advice about care and support to all residents, offer short term help and options for longer term support if people have more complex needs.

Social care can include 'personal care' such as support for washing, dressing and getting out of bed in the morning, as well as wider support to help people stay active and engaged in their communities..

Short-term and long-term care

Social care is often broken down into two categories of short-term care and long-term care.

Short-term care refers to support that is time limited with the intention of maximising the independence of the individual using the care service and eliminating their need for ongoing support. Long-term support is provided for people with complex and ongoing needs either in the community or accommodation such as a nursing home.

All needs for an individual are discussed at their first point of contact with the council where we determine what people can do for themselves, or with the help from others or community resources, before looking at how adult social care can help.


What we do in adult social care

We aim to promote people's independence and wellbeing, through personalised care and support that focuses upon their strengths, the outcomes they want to achieve and enables choice and control.

This means we are:

  • Looking at what people can do rather than what they can't do.
  • Having conversations, rather than focusing on prescribed assessment questions.
  • Understanding what is most important to the person, their concerns, what they have already tried and what might be the best next steps.
  • Working with people as experts in their own lives, listening carefully to 'what matters' to them rather than 'what's the matter' with them.
  • Being creative and helping people to build upon their strengths.

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