The review was produced in response to a challenge from our Partnership Board who asked us to produce an independent review on the future of adult social care. The aim of  it is to offer an authoritative and evidence-based assessment of the development of adult social care between now and 2020. Wherever possible it seeks to draw on existing evidence and to consider likely future scenarios. The intention was twofold, to assess the current position and to assess the prospects for change.

The window of a decade was chosen to allow for an element of 'futures thinking', while also ensuring that the review is firmly rooted in the ways in which policy and practice may evolve within a tangible timescale. Four possible future scenarios are offered which pose a range of possible trajectories: residual service; incremental betterment; care crunch; and transformed wellbeing.

The review is in four parts: an overview report and three supplementary evidence reviews. Each section is freely available to download. Hard copies have been distributed to our Partner agencies; limited numbers are available to non-Partners, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.

We very much hope that the review will be a useful starting point to provoke wide-ranging debate and reflection, both within and beyond our Partnership. To that end we really welcome your thoughts and comments.