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The Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Baroness Casey spoke last week about their commitment to social care and “fixing the system” so that it gives people dignity, security, and support when they need it most. That it is not a problem too big to solve. 

As the Co-Chairs of Learning Disability England’s representative body, we too believe there is never a problem too big to solve.  What can get in the way is a lack of will or resilience to come together and stay the course when something feels difficult or someone else’s problem. 

How to get social care right so that people are able to live good lives is not someone else’s problem. It is not about someone else. It is about all of us. 

We welcome and encourage politicians coming together regardless of the political party they represent. We know from experience, that the best way to find solutions when something feels too difficult or too big, is by working together. Learning Disability England’s members have very different experiences and views, we don’t always agree with each other. That’s one of our strengths – listening to and learning from each other to create positive change. 

As important as the political parties working together, is the need to understand that social care doesn’t and can’t work in isolation. For so many of our members, social care support is one part of their life that may or may not be working for them. Education, housing, employment and health all contribute to whether social care support is needed, how much, and often as a crisis response.  

For many people with learning disabilities and their families, the need to draw on social care support is lifelong. From childhood through to the end of their life. When people’s housing, health, education and employment together with social care support work, they balance each other and mean people can live good lives. 

Baroness Casey has launched the Big Conversation on Care – a way for people to contribute their thoughts and ideas online. People can find out more and take part  here 

We will work with Learning Disability England members over the coming weeks to contribute their thoughts, ideas and experiences with the hope that this time, the change that is needed, can and will happen.