Strategy for adult social care
This consultation closed on 6 July 2025. An update on the outcome of this consultation is noted below.
Adult social care in County Durham plays a vital role in supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.
From helping people live independently in their own homes, wherever possible preventing or delaying them from becoming dependent on care services, to providing support with daily activities and access to community services.
Creating a new strategy
We’re creating a new strategy for adult social care, that will guide how we deliver services in the future. This strategy will bring together our current work and set a clear direction for how we can improve outcomes and support better lives for adults with care and support needs and their families and carers.
Whether you have direct experience with adult social care or not, your views are important. We want to understand what matters most to you, what would you want from our services in the future, what do you think of our current services, and how we can do better.
Our vision
Our vision is simple but powerful:
'Ensuring adults and their carers receive the care and support they need, when they need it, to support them to live the lives they want'.
Our draft priorities
In consideration of our statutory (legal) duties and the underlining principles of The Care Act (2014), as well as our own values and principles, we have developed draft priorities that will drive the strategy which are:
- Prevention and independence: Helping people stay independent and connected in their communities for as long as possible.
- Care and support: Providing high-quality, personalised care that keeps people safe and supports their choices.
- Supporting people who look after others: Recognising and supporting the vital role of carers in a way that works for them.
This consultation closed on 6 July 2025.
Email qualityassurancedevelopmentandlearningadults@durham.gov.uk if you would like this information in an alternative format and/or require a paper version of the survey.
Have your say
We invite everyone, including residents, carers, service users, professionals, partners, staff and community groups to take part in our consultation.
In talking specifically with people who have direct contact with adult care and support, we will develop a strategy that will reflect and positively promote, a better understanding of people’s experiences. However, feedback from a range of people, including those who do not have experience of adult social care, is also important.
Your feedback will help us to ensure that people who use our services and our wider communities have a voice in the future delivery of adult social care services.
Key areas of feedback and views to support the development of the strategy include:
- Our vision: Does our current vision fit with your beliefs and views of what our Adult Social Care Strategy should aspire to achieve? Is there anything missing from our current vision?
- Our draft priorities: Do our priorities align to your views of what we should be focusing on? Are there areas you think are missing?
- Perceptions of adult social care in County Durham: Do people view our current service as accessible, contactable and supportive for everyone within all our communities?
- Direct feedback on peoples experiences: Do people who receive care and support feel their choices are considered? Are there any barriers to their care and support? Do their experiences help them to live life as they would like to?
Phases
Adult Social Care Strategy - Have your say
Please complete our survey to share your views and help shape the strategy.
We want to hear from as many people as possible. This includes professionals and our partners who play a role or have an interest in delivering adult care services either directly or indirectly.
We want to hear from people who receive, or have received, adult social care or support, including people have supported those who have first hand experiences. For this reason we will be contacting those who receive adult social care services and their families directly during this period to encourage them to share their views.
We also want to hear from those who have not received these services or support before.
Within the survey there is also space for you to tell us if you would like to get more involved in adult social care services more broadly for longer term collaboration relevant to where your interests and experiences may lie.