Is personalization the right plan at the wrong time?: Re-thinking cash-for-care in an age of austerity

Pearson, C. and Ridley, J. (2017) Is personalization the right plan at the wrong time?: Re-thinking cash-for-care in an age of austerity. Social Policy and Administration, 51(7), pp. 1042-1059. (doi: 10.1111/spol.12216)

Abstract

As personalization has dominated the policy agenda for reform in social care, its roll-out as a mainstream option has coincided with global programmes of austerity which have targeted services for disabled people. Was this simply bad timing or was its implementation always part of the agenda for reform? Whilst the principle of cash-for-care schemes drew strongly on promoting the independence and autonomy of disabled people, early incarnations of direct payments policy in the UK were initially at least in part rolled out in light of potential cost savings to social care budgets. This article explores these and other issues in light of evaluations of the Scottish government's self-directed support (SDS) test sites (2009–11) and implementation of subsequent legislation enforcing models of SDS in Scotland from April 2014. Discussion draws on the authors’ recent book (Pearson et al. 2014) to reflect on what the evidence can tell us about radically transforming social care at a time of global austerity.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Pearson, Dr Charlotte
• Authors: Pearson, C., and Ridley, J.
• Subjects: H Social Sciences > HJ Public Finance; H Social Sciences > HM Sociology; H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Social Scientists working in Health and Wellbeing; College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Urban Studies
• Journal Name: Social Policy and Administration
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
• ISSN: 0144-5596
• ISSN (Online): 1467-9515
• Published Online: 28 January 2016
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2016 Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
• First Published: First published in Social Policy and Administration 51(7):1042-1059
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher.