Last Updated on April 29, 2024

At the annual ADASS Spring Seminar, held on Thursday April 25th, Melanie Williams delivered her first speech as the new president. During her speech, she outlined the main goals of her presidency.

First, Ms Williams expressed her desire to promote a greater commitment to social justice and equality to create the best outcomes for those using and working in social care. She said, 'I will emphasise our commitment to social justice…which is about redistributing health and wealth to those whose lives are challenged the most.'

Ms Williams’ second goal is to create a stronger connection between children’s and adult social care. She plans to work closely with Andy Smith, newly appointed president of the Association of Directors of Children’s Social Services (ACDS), to create links between the two systems. She said, 'All too often we don’t do enough to plan ahead in a timely way and make that transition successful.' Ms Williams hopes that working closely with the ACDS will provide more sustainable support throughout people’s lives, from childhood into early adulthood. Allowing for more preparation when someone is transitioning from one social care sector to another. She also pledged to show her support of the ACDS’s ambitions to reform Special Education Needs and Disabilities.

Another high priority issue Ms Williams wants to tackle during her presidency is the high turnover rate of social care workers. Currently the figures stand at one third or 35% according to Skills for Care. Ms Williams plans to draw from her 30 years of experience in social care and use herself as an example of the kind of career that is possible in the sector. She wants to promote work in social care as a career with real development and progression. A career that people can take pride in. Ms Williams hopes that what she has achieved throughout her career will be possible for anyone entering social care today given they receive the support and encouragement she did.

Ms Williams’ final goal she outlined during her speech was funding to reform the sector. She stated that the key to getting real political commitment to the reformation of the care sector was to build more public understanding and support for social care. 'We not only need the trust of decision-makers in Government and their confidence that the solutions we’re proposing will work. We need to change the way the public thinks about social care', Ms Williams said. She expressed her keen desire for the public to see social care as something as important to the wellbeing of oneself and their family as the NHS is, despite how they may not need support from the sector at this point in time.

The ADASS Spring Seminar is an annual event bringing together adult social care leaders from councils across England and offers a unique insight into the key challenges, opportunities and concerns for both those drawing on and working in adult social care across England.

In other news, Government is falling short on its promise to 'fix the crisis in social care', says a new report from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).