Can someone help?

[mizfiesta]

I am currently doing an essay on community care policy and provision. I would be grateful if anyone on AB can help me with the following. What shaped community care from the 1930's to the present day? e.g. the welfare state. I would be most grateful. Its just one of those subjects that I face a blank wall when I try and write about it! Any help can be directed through this or at aoldotcom. Thanks.

[mollymoo43]

you have partly answered the question yourself - The welfare state. There are loads of good books available at colleges & Uni. Dont know which one you are at but you should be able to get hold of tons of literature on community care policy etc. Try a search on google (eg) that usually brings up lots of useful sites.

[incitatus]

you might also look into the introduction of pensions, local charity boards, funds such as the Miners Benevolent Fund which cared for invalid miners in the absence of the welfare state. The within the NHS there was the shift from enclosed care to community care pre thatcher, thatcherrs attempt to murder helpless citizens ( which she called care in the community. Starve in the streeets more like

[Gerry Baby]

You should also look at the new Community Care Act which was introduced in 1991 ish, with it's empahisis on closing down the large psychiatric hospitals and placing those in need of assistance in the community. this caused the birth and evolution of many community care providers, such as penumbera, the richmond fellowship, name but a few. the large institutions were no longer seen as the best place to deliver person centred care. The funding for these places comes from social work departments. So you can imagine how difficult it can be at times for people to have real choice control and empowerment in their lives, going from being controlled by hospitals to now being restriained financially by funders. The emphasis now would be to provide individuals with high care needs with "individual care packages" with them living in mainstream tenancies, but with a small core of workers supporting them in their own homes. this is expensive, but in my opinion far more "normal" than group living. It should be about what the "person" wants, not what the system can afford. Hope I haven't confused you, and good luck with the essay.