Care professionals constantly confront the problem of balancing the need to obtain optimal satisfaction of users' needs without regard for their means, with the concerns of managers and policy makers to measure and regulate costs. Drawing on current research, this book assesses the issues and problems arising as social work and services departments learn how to implement the new community care legislation.It is based on the view that costing care must entail a synthesis of the different philosophies of care, entitlement and public accountability; this includes welfare professionals whose focus in on the needs of the client, managers and policy makers whose focus in on the public costs of welfare, and users and their families who have most to gain or lose.Drawing on the experience of researchers, practitioners and managers, the book explores the development of policies for different types of service and support, and application of assessment tools. In particular, the problem of estimating costs and evaluating alternatives is examined. The practicalities of costing individual care packages for different client groups are critically examined, alongside the implications of devolved budgeting and fee charging.
Introduction, Chris Clark and Irvine Lapsley, University of Edinburgh. 1. Care management: putting the principles into practice, Alison Petch, University of Glasgow. 2. Assessing and managing care: what future for the independent sector? Stephen Maxwell, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, and Mike Titterton, independent training and research consultant. 3. Care management practice: lessons from the USA, Phyllis J. Sturges, San Jose State University, California. 4. The assessment process, Terry McLean, Robert Gordon University. 5. Care management: a manager's perspective, Laura Bannerman and Bill Robertson Tayside Regional Council. 6. Care management: meeting different needs, Lorna Cameron and Isobel Freeman, Strathclyde Regional Council. 7. Costs, budgets and community care, Irvine Lapsley, University of Edinburgh. 8. Costing care needs for disabled people: an accounting approach, Margaret King and Sue Llewellyn, University of Edinburgh. 9. The costs of informal care, Ann Netten, University of Kent. Caring, costs and values: a concluding comment, Chris Clark, University of Edinburgh.
Practitioners and researchers will find plenty of interest and use. Case studies such as Bannerman and Robertson's (on introducing community care to Tayside) are informative and stimulating.
