Opening up the “front door”
Exploring how we can reimagine the ‘front door’ to adult social care as a welcoming space for partnership, connection and flourishing.
This year we’ve been working with a London Council to explore a new way of thinking about the “front door” to adult social care, not as a gatekeeper or waiting room, but as an ecotone, a vibrant, thriving space where people and services meet, connect, and flourish.
“What if the point at which people first connect with our public service systems was the human equivalent of an ecotone — a rich and thriving interface between environments, rather than a barrier?”
With the wisdom of people who draw on care and support, their families and allies, and in partnership with Social Care Future, we’ve been reimagining what the first point of contact with care systems could be. What if, instead of assessing, signposting, or turning people away, we began with listening, human connection, and a shared belief in what it takes to live a good life?
In her blog Emily shares:
- Why the current model too often fails the people it aims to help
- What a truly human, relational and learning-led alternative could look like
- Powerful stories from people and places already making this vision real.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped shape this work; to those who shared their stories, the team at Social Care Future, and to the many people and places that we are working with that are trying to do things differently.
