WCVA has responded to the Public Accounts Committee’s consultation on barriers to the implementation of the Future Generations Act, as well as Welsh Government’s inquiry into Social Care Market Stability Reports.
The former consultation asked about awareness of the Act in Wales, resources available for implementation, levels of support given and more. In our response, we commented that:
- The development of a particular funding stream for services dedicated to the Act would provide a focal point for successful implementation.
- Citizens must be involved in the design and delivery of the services that meet their needs, and Welsh Government must encourage and support public bodies to do this. This may involve a level of upskilling.
- Rebuilding following the coronavirus pandemic is an opportunity to put the Future Generations Act up front and centre in both policy and public consciousness.
- An overarching strategy for community development, framed by the Act, would ensure consistency in practice within Welsh Government and prevent siloed working.
- The Internal Markets Bill rows back on devolution and is a threat to successful implementation of the Act.
WCVA has also responded to Welsh Government’s consultation on Social Market Stability Reports.
If enacted, this would result in changes under section 144B of the Social Services and Wellbeing Act and would require local authorities and local health boards to collaborate to produce a market stability report for each of the seven Regional Partnership Board areas.
In our response we noted a number of factors that will impact on how the social care market is stabilized, including that the market is still in Covid-19 response mode, the insecurity of the voluntary sector and the fragility of the social care market.
We also argued that what is ‘reasonable’ and ‘sufficient’ service must be set out to ensure that the market is able to cope with future demand and any future crises, and commented that public bodies need to work towards the seven wellbeing goals to ensure the market is stable.