Adult Social Care
How do we tackle the challenges in Adult Social Care?
Our people are experts in ASC, our experience and extensive toolkit enables us to develop a deep understanding of the challenges quickly, across all areas of the ASC system, from the ‘front door,’ through short term intervention to strengths based support planning and outcome focused commissioning.
We don’t just diagnose problems, our approach to delivery is all about changing how we work as individuals, as teams, with partner organisations and for local people, sharing big ambitions for building and sustaining independence wherever possible. We work across the interfaces of services and organisations, rolling our sleeves up and working alongside frontline teams, using behavioural science techniques to influence and deliver sustainable change.
Practice and decision making that maximises independence
Embedding outcomes-led practice
Driving consistent, independence-focused decision-making across all assessments, reviews and support planning.
- Clear, outcomes-focused conversations.
- A holistic view of a person and focus on progression.
- Creative support planning.
- Systematic reviews to ensure the right provision at the right time.
- Robust contingency and crisis planning.
Enabling people to live well and remain connected to their communities
Making prevention and community support the default
Expanding community-based options and reducing reliance on formal care.
- A broad range of enablement and community-based pathways.
- A range of self-directed support options.
- Co-produced community-based options with Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector (VCFS).
Empowering a confident, skilled and effective workforce
Enabling the workforce, systems and tools
Equipping practitioners and systems to support outcomes-focused practice at scale and track impact.
- Optimised workflow.
- Capturing outcomes, progression and review points.
- Real-time data dashboards that track demand, cost and outcomes.
- Consistent use of reflective practice forums and case discussions.
Working in partnership with communities, providers and partners for a stronger more responsive local support system
Shaping the market and strengthening partnerships
Aligning providers, housing, VCSE and health to support independence
- A broad range of housing and accommodation options that support independence.
- Strong joint working with health partners.
- A proactive approach to market shaping, using intelligence to identify and address gaps.
- Strategic partnerships with VCSE, housing and providers to co-develop new models of support.
Practice and decision making that maximises independence
Embedding outcomes-led practice
Driving consistent, independence-focused decision-making across all assessments, reviews and support planning.
- Clear, outcomes-focused conversations.
- A holistic view of a person and focus on progression.
- Creative support planning.
- Systematic reviews to ensure the right provision at the right time.
- Robust contingency and crisis planning.
Enabling people to live well and remain connected to their communities
Making prevention and community support the default
Expanding community-based options and reducing reliance on formal care.
- A broad range of enablement and community-based pathways.
- A range of self-directed support options.
- Co-produced community-based options with Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector (VCFS).
Empowering a confident, skilled and effective workforce
Enabling the workforce, systems and tools
Equipping practitioners and systems to support outcomes-focused practice at scale and track impact.
- Optimised workflow.
- Capturing outcomes, progression and review points.
- Real-time data dashboards that track demand, cost and outcomes.
- Consistent use of reflective practice forums and case discussions.
Working in partnership with communities, providers and partners for a stronger more responsive local support system
Shaping the market and strengthening partnerships
Aligning providers, housing, VCSE and health to support independence
- A broad range of housing and accommodation options that support independence.
- Strong joint working with health partners.
- A proactive approach to market shaping, using intelligence to identify and address gaps.
- Strategic partnerships with VCSE, housing and providers to co-develop new models of support.
What our clients say
The IMPOWER difference
Client: Andrew Wolverson, Director of Adult Social Services, Wolverhampton City Council
Our Impact
%
of social worker cases reviewed in Lincolnshire FY24/25 had opportunities for further independence.
working age adults to move to greater independence, 17% within six months (anonymised County council with permission)
savings. Tameside's adults social care services created better outcomes and £2.2m savings FY24/25.
Preparing for adulthood
At IMPOWER, we bring local systems together to build a shared vision to better prepare young people for adulthood. Through evidence-based design and a ‘test and learn’ approach, we help systems understand where they currently are, set achievable ambitions aligned with local aspiration, and co-design practical, person-centred interventions that make an immediate difference. Our work is focused in three areas:
- Supporting children living in care to plan for the future
- Strengthening transition to adult social care
- Embedding strengths based practice
Too often, we’re delivering poor outcomes for our older children and young adults as they move through our services. Even when there’s a straight transition from social care to social care, we struggle to get it right.” Melanie Williams, ADASS and Care Quality Commission’s board member
Preparing for adulthood
At IMPOWER, we bring local systems together to build a shared vision to better prepare young people for adulthood. Through evidence-based design and a ‘test and learn’ approach, we help systems understand where they currently are, set achievable ambitions aligned with local aspiration, and co-design practical, person-centred interventions that make an immediate difference. Our work is focused in three areas:
- Supporting children living in care to plan for the future
- Strengthening transition to adult social care
- Embedding strengths based practice
Too often, we’re delivering poor outcomes for our older children and young adults as they move through our services. Even when there’s a straight transition from social care to social care, we struggle to get it right.” Melanie Williams, ADASS and Care Quality Commission’s board member
Case Studies
Maximising independence for working age adults in Darlington
IMPOWER worked with Darlington to embed outcomes-focused practice that improves lives and reduces avoidable demand.
Supporting adult social care redesign in Wolverhampton
Identifying new opportunities to improve outcomes and save money in Manchester
Delivering Valuing Home in Dorset
Strengths-based working in a complex system to deliver financially sustainable stronger patient outcomes and improved operational outcomes.
Lincolnshire County Council – Maximising independence in Adult Social Care through changing culture, behaviour, and practice
Changing culture, behaviour and practice in Adult Social Care to deliver better outcomes
STRENGTHS-BASED PRACTICE
Valuing lives
Using data and technology is key to unlocking opportunities to improve outcomes and deliver value for money. Our approach and strengths based tools have been coproduced with people using adult social care services, practitioners and professionals, together they enable a better understanding of needs.
STRENGTHS-BASED PRACTICE
Valuing lives
Using data and technology is key to unlocking opportunities to improve outcomes and deliver value for money. Our approach and strengths based tools have been coproduced with people using adult social care services, practitioners and professionals, together they enable a better understanding of needs.
IMPOWER
Applied Analytics Team
We have a highly-skilled, cross-functional team of analysts, with significant experience of working across the public sector, who are deployed alongside both our client’s workforce and their IMPOWER colleagues to deliver actionable insights and boost the quality of our delivery.
We have a highly-skilled, cross-functional team of analysts, with significant experience of working across the public sector, who are deployed alongside both our client’s workforce and their IMPOWER colleagues to deliver actionable insights and boost the quality of our delivery.
IMPOWER
Applied Analytics Team
The IMPOWER team felt like a breath of fresh air. They listened and understand how we operated and accompanied our staff in their daily tasks. They listened to our ideas and the challenges, we faced, working collaboratively with us to address any potential issues and offering invaluable advice throughout the process
IMPOWER demonstrated understanding of our challenges and helped us to progress toward our ambition. The journey through the project (and winning teams over) has been really positive, making a practical impact and delivering benefits through developing practice.
We’ve evidenced £23m in cost avoidance over the last three years and have secured a CQC rating of ‘Outstanding’ for Central Reablement Services. The work that IMPOWER did absolutely delivered better outcomes for the people in our city – and the ethos they brought has been shared across wider system partners.
IMPOWER have given the team confidence to do things quicker and try things, for example, the work on the front door. They have helped us show the impact of the work and this has given us tangible examples of what is possible. We have the confidence of the corporate leadership team that IMPOWER will help us make change happen.
Reports
Preparing for Adulthood Report ADASS 2026
Key challenges, emerging best practice and recommendations for local, regional and national change.
The Kings Fund “Friends doing what they love” Report
This is about far more than technical reform. It represents a cultural, ethical, and democratic revolution in care.
The power of prevention and place in new unitary councils Report
Adult Social Care and Local Government Reorganisation
Healthy Homes in the East of England Report
How ICSs can support collaboration to deliver better housing and health outcomes in the East of England.
Preparing for Adulthood Report ADASS
Key challenges, best practice and recommendation for local and national change.
Fixing Adult Social Care’s Plumbing and Wiring
Academy of Medical Royal Colleges AoMRC Report
Explore why we have not yet delivered the long-promised shift to more home and community-based care.
IMPOWER Annual Report 2024
Intermediate Care – joint report with ADASS
We have emerged from Covid needing to support higher numbers of people, in the context of ever straightened financial circumstances.
