LocalGov.co.uk: Political parties must do more to acknowledge the value of adult social care in the run up to the General Election, sector leaders have argued.

Councils, charities and campaigners have written to party leaders to call for a step change in the way adult care services are discussed and championed at the national political level.

The 42 organisations, including the Local Government Association, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and Care England, said they had been struck by the lack of prominence given to adult social care in election debates, and urged leaders to ‘talk more’ about the issue.

The letter also calls on parties to ‘change the narrative’ around care services, moving away from describing social care ‘as a service that is broken and in need of being fixed’.

It adds: ‘Avoid the trap of politicising the debate about the future of care and support.

‘We all know from experience that the net result of that is greater apathy and disappointment.

‘Recognise the role of social care at every level of society. Give people reasons to be hopeful, not alarmed.’