The Outstanding Society

The Outstanding Society and OSDF: Driving Change in Adult Social Care

The Adult Social Care (ASC) sector in the UK stands at a crucial turning point, facing a range of complex challenges that require urgent attention and collective action. Recent government initiatives, such as the establishment of an independent commission led by Baroness Casey, aim to create a new national care service. While this signals a commitment to reform, the proposed timeline has been criticised for lacking urgency, reinforcing the need for swift and decisive measures to support both care recipients and those working in the sector.

Amidst these challenges, The Outstanding Society (OS) continues to lead the way in championing excellence and inclusivity in ASC. The OS is FREE to join and was created to share best practice and raise standards across the sector, supporting providers in delivering outstanding care.

A key initiative under the OS umbrella is The Out Standing Diversity Forum (OSDF), the first cross-sector national diversity forum in ASC. OSDF is dedicated to improving inclusion for diverse and under-represented talent, as well as those that we support within the sector. By providing a platform for best practice around diversity, equity, and inclusion, the OSDF aims to foster knowledge-sharing and drive meaningful change throughout ASC. We are hoping to share our work from last year’s incredible roundtable, held at the Birmingham Care Show, in the upcoming months. Exciting times.

Building on the momentum from our participation in London Pride in June 2024— where OSDF made its debut, celebrating the LGBTQ+ community’s contributions to ASC— we are thrilled to announce that we will be marching at Manchester Pride this year! This marks a significant step forward in our mission, ensuring representation and advocacy for inclusivity across the whole country, moving beyond a London-centric focus.

We invite everyone working in and utilising ASC to get involved—register your interest to march alongside us at Manchester Pride, demonstrating our collective commitment to diversity and inclusion. Early registration to join our Manchester Pride march was being launched on the OS Learning Lounge, Care Show London. If you haven’t managed to sign up yet you can also express your interest by emailing info@theoutstandingsocity.co.uk.

Through initiatives like OSDF and our active participation in events such as Manchester Pride, we can tackle the challenges facing ASC by prioritising the well-being of those we support and those who work in the sector. While the world around us is changing at pace, and sometimes outside of our control, we can create meaningful impact within the sector. Join us in shaping the future of ASC, championing inclusivity, and setting a new standard of excellence for all, while having a damn fine time too!

Sanjay Dhrona, Director of the OS

The OS is a Community Interest Company, free to all providers irrelevant of their rating. It is a platform to share and celebrate best practice, help others to improve and promote careers in Social Care. Please contact Sonia - info@ theoutstandingsociety.co.uk