Becs reflects on the SDSS National Voice conference and why it’s important to her and to Carr Gomm that we influence and be part of change in social care.
Community Contacts offers a helping hand to hundreds of people each year looking for information, advice, and support to navigate the world of social care decisions across Argyll & Bute and Highland.
But we want to make sure all people across Scotland can access similar support, so they understand the choices open to them through Self-directed Support (SDS) and realise their rights.
This is why our independent project Community Contacts is a member of Self Directed Support Scotland (SDSS), a conduit between people who need support, disabled people’s and independent Self-directed Support (SDS) support organisations and the Scottish Government.
Our Operations Manager, Becs Barker, is the Chair of SDSS, and Becs recently chaired their National Voice SDS Conference in Edinburgh alongside Donald Macleod, Chief Executive of SDSS.
Becs reflects on the conference:
“It was an excellent conference with just shy of 200 attendees representing registered care providers, local authorities, disabled people and independent SDS organisations. We also welcomed members of staff from the Scottish Government’s SDS and National Care Service Divisions. The highlights for me were the address from the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport, Maree Todd, and the Expert Panel.
Both of these conversations gave insight into how SDS and person-centredness are being considered as central themes for the National Care Service. People present were eager to hear how the Scottish Government would continue to ensure the voices of people with lived experience (through their own lives or as workers from the social care and social work sectors) would not be lost in this huge area of policy.
I joined the SDSS Board because I see our role in Carr Gomm to influence and to be part of meaningful change in social care policy and delivery is essential. If it’s not us, then who is it that plays that role and ensures that person-centredness and the expert voices of lived experience are included?
As chair, I really enjoy leading the Board and working closely with the Chief Officer, Donald, to ensure that the membership of SDSS, including Community Contacts, is well represented, listened to, and included in big conversations and national social care policy development. Collaboration is key to success, and I love to see the networks evolve and good joint working opportunities develop.”
Carr Gomm’s Community Contacts offers a helping hand to anyone looking for information, advice, and support to navigate the world of social care decisions. We help people to understand their social care rights and to be best placed to live the best life possible having made their own choices about how their support will be managed and organised. We are part of the Scottish Government’s Support in The Right Direction network of independent support organisations for Self-directed Support.
