New president calls for legal duty to promote well-being

The new president of the Association of Directors of Social
Services has put forward his vision for social care that would see
councils having a legal duty to promote the well-being of their
communities.

Speaking at the National Social Services Conference, he told
delegates that he wants to see councils “dumping Poor Law
attitudes and approaches” which restrict care to people with
the most severe needs. Instead social services should look at the
social, economic and environmental “well-being” of
communities.

He added that it was time to replace the framework of social
services legislation that has governed adult services and produce a
consolidated community care act.