Report: Measuring the Mountain – What really matters in social care to individuals in Wales

Measuring the Mountain (MtM), a unique initiative gathering people’s experiences of social care throughout Wales, share their findings in a new report.

The report is the first of its kind and aims to shed light on how social care really feels for carers and people who are receiving care and support.

Funded by Welsh Government, MtM has collected close to 500 personal stories from across Wales about social care that reveal the complex, vulnerable and important relationships people have when they are carers or need care and support.

The Citizen’s Jury, hosted by MtM in September 2018, explored some of the key themes that emerged from the stories to understand more about the early impact of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014.

Fifteen recommendations were produced that made clear the need for straightforward, easy interactions with social care providers. The need to value and support carers, and the importance of collaborative approaches at all levels of the sector.

Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services, Julie Morgan officially launched the report at an event hosted by MtM with members of the public and organisations who were involved in the project.

Ms Morgan said: “This is an important piece of work with a unique approach that has never before been undertaken in the social care sector in Wales.

“Measuring the Mountain has been a collaborative approach which has proven vital to hear the voices of those engaging with the sector. I very much welcome the report, which provides us with clear evidence of where we are now and what needs to be done next.”

MtM’s activity over the last 12 months has highlighted elements of social care that are working well, as well as areas that require improvement and these findings will help inform the three year evaluation of the Act being undertaken by a team from the University of South Wales.

Project Manager of MtM, Katie Cooke, said: “We have focused on the experiences of people engaging with social care, and while we have been able to make recommendations based on this information, many issues and themes now need to be explored from the side of social care providers and their staff, so that concerns within the sector can be understood, and addressed, from all sides”

The successful implementation of the Act will take time and, with the increasing pressures on social care, understanding exactly what’s needed by those who are accessing it, will help ensure resources are focused in the best places.

For full details on the findings visit: Measuring the Mountain website.