‘Marketised social care has failed. It’s time to rebuild local, democratic social services’

The imposition of the market on Social Services has been an abject failure, economically and societally. As Michael J. Sandel observed in 2012, “The most fateful change that unfolded during the past three decades was not an increase in greed. It was the expansion of markets, and of market values, into spheres of life where they don’t belong”.

Despite the pernicious influence of consumerism and individualism in all aspects of our culture, people espouse the opportunities offered to be active contributors to the wellbeing of those they care about when strengths-based approaches are practiced.

The primary responsibility of central government is to nurture a society which supports and values the core/relational economy. But it is only competent to specify ‘purpose’; it is too far distant from the lives of citizens to prescribe ‘method’. By its very nature the social care market undermines societal cohesion. We need to stop treating citizens as consumers and instead nurture contributing citizenship and participative democracy.

READ MORE: ‘Reforming Disability Confident is welcome – but without culture change it will still fall short’

Social Services need to be supplementary and complementary to strong and caring citizens, families and communities. Social Services need to actively nurture local communities in which people requiring care – which is all of us to varying degrees at different stages in our lives – can thrive. Relationship-based, community social work has been de-skilled and attenuated during the market era and will need to be reinvented for present times. Similarly, contemporary social services leaders and managers will be challenged by a radical change of direction from transactional, rule-based practice to the discretionary and delegated authority implicit in effective relationship-based, community social work type practice and will need help and support to adjust.

Social Services must be governed, led, managed and delivered locally – with inclusive and deliberative local democracy. This is why I advocate for the reinvention of Local Authority Social Services departments – institutions located within the communities that they are providing care to. These can curate the development and iterative implementation of individual good life plans; build and sustain the skilled professional workforce required to realise purpose; develop and nurture a robust democratic accountability and consultative governance system; and produce short-term and long-term strategic plans for and with the communities served – which will inform annual Local Government Grant settlement negotiations. 

JOIN LABOURLIST ‘IN CONVERSATION’ WITH STEVE ROTHERAM ON 3rd FEB

Marketisation has thrust competition law, regulations, and priorities (notably around risk management) into a sphere of activities where its impact is especially counterproductive. System conditions that are focused on market-management are anathema to local, one person at a time, practical planning and strengths-based problem-solving. Commoditised and marketised social care has, from its inception, been a ‘Whitehall’ initiative – centralised, authoritarian and influenced by commerce and Friedman-inspired ideology. This was not a grassroots project driven by professionals, operational research, public clamour, nor inspirational practices.

Our current situation is a consequence of this conviction politics based in an ideological fervour that brooked no opposition. Changing direction will demand comparable determination and commitment not to compromise in the face of the powerful interests arising from the commoditisation and marketisation of social care. There will be much shroud-waving instigated by corporate investors and well-remunerated CEOs. But a robust transition strategy can be assembled.

Subscribe here to our daily newsletter roundup of Labour news, analysis and comment– and follow us on Bluesky, WhatsApp, X and Facebook.

Labour, as the party of Government, have a distinct opportunity here. Local governments are currently spending, on average, 78% of their budget on social care. Demand is clearly outweighing the ability for comprehensive provision and budget allocation. In their 15 years in power, the Tories tried – and failed – multiple times to make social care provision a paragon of their work. In the face of cascading public opinion, Labour need areas in which their policies make people feel like their lives are being made easier.

Care is a societal issue where the job of government is to nurture societal conditions in which citizens are supported to care for each other with supplementary and complementary support from public services. That ‘social contract’ was developing nicely, as the Barclay Committee reported in 1982, until Margaret Thatcher decided, utterly oblivious to the real nature of valued care, that the whole shebang should be treated like a transactional business. The reinvention of local, community social work-based, Social Services melding what citizens do best and what professionals have to offer with local and truly democratic accountability makes both economic and ethical sense. It is an opportunity for Labour to make a radical and reforming difference.

Share your thoughts. Contribute on this story or tell your own by writing to our Editor. The best letters every week will be published on the site. Find out how to get your letter published.

There is no moral, economic or political case in which this restructuring wouldn’t lead to better outcomes than the current system. It would re-personalise care for people’s loved ones in their most trying hour. It would alleviate demand from the health department and create institutions solely equipped to tackle the issue. And it would ensure local government budgets were more efficiently distributed.

As a policy worth its salt would, this will take time. But, for the sake of our loved ones and our good society, it would be worth it.

‘This features excerpts from Care is a Societal Challenge, a new paper published by Compass.

• • SHARE: If you have anything to share that we should be looking into or publishing about this story – or any other topic involving Labour– contact us (strictly anonymously if you wish) at [email protected].
  • SUBSCRIBE: Sign up to LabourList’s morning email here for the best briefing on everything Labour, every weekday morning.
  • DONATE: If you value our work, please chip in a few pounds a week and become one of our supporters, helping sustain and expand our coverage.
  • PARTNER: If you or your organisation might be interested in partnering with us on sponsored events or projects, email [email protected].
  • ADVERTISE: If your organisation would like to advertise or run sponsored pieces on LabourList‘s daily newsletter or website, contact our exclusive ad partners Total Politics at [email protected].