Adult social care was hit hard during the pandemic – it will need help to recover

By Laura Noszlopy, ESRC Research Felllow, University of Birmingham
Jean McHale, Professor of Health Care Law, University of Birmingham

Omicron cases are falling, and the UK government is focusing on a return to normal. But far from entering a post-pandemic recovery phase, the adult social care sector – which provides crucial services to people who are disabled, elderly or ill – is facing more acute pressure than ever.

Social care in England was under severe stress well before any of us had heard of COVID. Years of austerity had led to a chronically overstretched and undervalued workforce, long waiting lists for assessments and services, and unprecedented levels of unmet need. The pandemic exacerbated these problems.

Read complete article

~	How governments can help Indigenous communities disproportionately impacted by wildfires

~	Inside the Manosphere: Louis Theroux opts for superficial spectacle over serious scrutiny

~	Iran’s ruling structure explained

~	We can’t coerce our way to social cohesion. Here’s what else governments should be doing

~	Friday essay: ‘epic fury’ – the men of MAGA might be the most emotional US leaders ever

~	A deadly strike, or Call of Duty clip? How the US government is trying to memeify the war on Iran

~	Social media has supercharged real estate marketing – and made it cheaper. But it also brings risks

~	NAPLAN is being used by some schools as an entrance exam. This isn’t what it’s designed to do

~	Do therapies like EMDR affect memories of traumatic events?

~	Why exposing young children to AI content could have irreversible consequences