The highly influential 1973 ’Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered’ (Schumacher, W.) continues to stand true, despite recent proclamations by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) about the risks of a proliferation of micro and small care providers.
The economics of small supports organisations provide absolute clarity about this.
We know support costs reduce and wellbeing improves and this brings a reduction in demand on wider health and social care services within local communities.
For the particular group small supports work alongside, who experience great trauma and challenge frequently, the reduction in the need for multi-agency response to incidents is evident. This evidenced decrease in incidents frees up the time of police, ambulance and the multi-agency teams and equates to a vast economic value.
A deep dive evaluation into small supports provision in Plymouth documents the lives of nine people. The study evidenced that wellbeing improved from average scores of 2/10 to 8/10 and saved the local system £1.5million per year.
People matter
It’s not simply a question of economics, people matter. This positive economic evidence comes from an approach to supporting people where the core is that ’they matter. Their choices, life experiences, likes/dislikes, their human need for connection, relationships and respect are cherished and form the bedrock of support.
Small supports organisations have a flat management structure; everyone knows everyone. The director is often the first person to meet a new person and the first thing they do is start to create a person-centred support plan together.
’No compromise’ is a much-used phrase in the small supports community. The moment we compromise on what works for a person is the moment we begin to fail.
It is also finally worth noting small supports organisations frequently attain the highest ‘Outstanding’ from the CQC.
It is not for us to question the motivation behind this opinion from the CQC, published in Community Care on 27 October. It is our job to argue passionately for small support organisations and their micro-scale allies up and down the country. The evidence whether from people’s own mouths or from the spreadsheet is simple and clear ’Small is Beautiful’.
NDTi Small Supports
NDTi is supporting a number of areas to develop their own person-centred, local, small support organisations.
The programme team is stretching beyond the roots of support to people with learning disabilities and autistic people to also think about how a similar approach can work for people with dementia and families. How local community organisations, if given the lead, will develop support to take care of local people, and how small supports can work for children and young people.
We welcome you to contact us to talk more and explore how small supports can become a valuable part of your local support offer.
Visit the Small Supports programme page for more information about our programme of work and its impact.
More evidence and learning
Discover more evidence in Leeds of how two new small supports organisations are successfully delivering care and support.
Free lunchtime webinars, 4-6 November
Find out more about Small Supports and taking a person centred, local approach to reshaping support for people with complicated lives.
This series of free lunchtime webinars is led by a range of leading voices in social care.
Community Catalysts’ work to develop micro-provision across the UK
Discover more about further work to develop new micro-providers in local communities by our partners Community Catalysts.
