Edel Harris
In a BBC
interview
An interview is a meeting where you talk to someone or a group of people about something. When you have an interview for a job, you have to answer questions and say why you would be good at the job. The person who gives the best answers is offered the job.
last week, the
Prime Minister
The Prime Minister is the leader of
the government
The Government are the people who run the country. The Government decide how much tax people should pay and how things like the National Health Service (NHS) should work.
.
said that "the Government plans to bring forward proposals to reform
social care
Social care means the services that give care and support to people who need it.
"this year" and implement them "within this
Parliament
Parliament is a group of people who make laws and check what the government is doing.
".
The 100 days plan also commits the Government to holding "cross party talks to find an enduring solution to the challenge of social care."
So it was with these important commitments fresh in my mind that I welcomed Boris Johnson MP on a visit to a Mencap service in his constituency (Uxbridge and South Ruislip) earlier today.
Mr Johnson had the opportunity to meet 6 residents who took him on a tour of their home. They told the Prime Minister what it is like to live with a
learning disability
A learning disability is to do with the way someone's brain works. It makes it harder for someone to learn, understand or do things.
and the life-changing difference good quality care and support can make. Listening to them talk about their lives was very moving.
My colleagues were on hand to describe to Mr Johnson a 'day in the life' of a
support worker
Support workers
Support workers are people who are paid to give care and support to people who need it.
are people who are paid to give care and support to people who need it.
and with their combined long service provided him with a great sense of their
experience
Experience is when you have learned or tried something before.
and commitment. I think he was left in no doubt of their dedication and devotion to the people in their care and the incredible services they give to our communities.
I talked to Mr Johnson about his promise to find a solution to the current social care crisis and offered our support to the cross party talks which he is hoping will commence before the end of March.
We asked that the social care debate be broadened to include people of working age who require intensive care and support. Over 50% of the social care
budget
A budget is a plan where you look at how much money you have and how you will spend it.
is spent on working age adults and yet the debate tends to focus on older people, the impact of limited social care provision on the performance of the NHS and the fear that some people have of needing to sell their home to pay for their care.
We talked about the tragic situation of people with a learning disability still being 'locked away' in institutions for long periods of time because of the lack of investments in suitable provision in local communities.
Most importantly of all I stressed that the social care workforce need to be paid well for the skilled job that they do - the profession should be more highly valued by society.
Everyone agreed that bravery and transformation is required throughout the whole system.
Myself and my colleagues at Mencap look forward to contributing to the debate and to helping our politicians to come up with a workable solution.