Reframing public perceptions of adult social care in Scotland

Our Vision 

This 12-month Demonstrator project supported strategic social care stakeholders in Scotland to develop a new narrative for adult social care. This follows a central theme of the Feeley Review of Adult Social Care in Scotland to ‘shift the paradigm’ (2021, p.4). This means moving from ‘old thinking’ – viewing social care as a burden on society – to ‘new thinking,’ which recognises social care as an investment to enable rights and support independent living. This change in narratives supports social care to maximise its future potential for Scotland.  

By bringing key partners and experts together to work on how to reframe perceptions of adult social care, our work contributed to longer-term outcomes: 

  • Strengthening public and policy support for investment in social care. 
  • Promote greater respect for those who use care services and for care workers. 
  • Cultivate a shared public understanding of social care as a societal responsibility. 

IMPACT Factfile

Why This Matters

Adult social care is a cornerstone of Scotland’s social support system, at its best enabling older people and disabled people to live independent, dignified lives. Despite this, it is too often perceived as a financial burden rather than an investment in human rights and wellbeing. Shifting these narratives is essential to creating a climate that values social care and champions its reform. 

Our Approach 

The project adopts an evidence-based, strategic approach informed by the Feeley Review of adult social care in Scotland (2021) and pioneered by Social Care Future (with Frameworks UK) in England. Key elements include:

Developing Positive Frames

Working with Frameworks UK and key social care stakeholders to explore narratives that ‘shift the paradigm’ and challenge existing narratives about social care to maximise its potential for the future. 

Engaging Stakeholders

Bringing together a diverse, strategic group, including user-led groups, umbrella organisations, providers, Scottish Government and media professionals, to co-develop these narratives. 

Providing Practical Resources

Producing guidance and tools for organisations to adopt and amplify these new narratives in their communications.

Outputs and next steps

On 12 March 2025, IMPACT brought together senior leaders covering 13 social care-related organisations in Scotland with FrameWorks UK. We produced a Discussion Paper on how to craft a stronger story for adult social care in Scotland, drawing together the learning from the workshop.

In summer 2025 the team were delighted to receive additional funding from the Rayne Foundation to continue the work for a further 17 months. 

This will allow us to work with more organisations and produce resources to empower them to communicate a new narrative effectively, seeking to achieve a climate of understanding, respect, and policy alignment that will improve the lives of people who use adult social care.  

You can find out more about this ongoing work at www.reframingcare.stir.ac.uk

Or contact us at [email protected] and [email protected].

Meet Our Demonstrators: Richard Brunner & Jennifer Wallace

Richard Brunner

In 2023-24 I co-led an IMPACT Demonstrator on improving the wellbeing of Personal Assistants to disabled people in Scotland. Alongside my work at IMPACT, I also work at the Centre for Disability Research at University of Glasgow where I conduct collaborative research about the barriers to independent living experienced by disabled people, and support Glasgow Disability Alliance with collating evidence about ‘future visions for social care’. 

    Jennifer Wallace

    I am passionate about putting knowledge in the hands of people who can use it to improve lives, the IMPACT model is a fantastic example of doing this at scale. I have worked for over twenty years in the public and voluntary sector as a policy analyst where I specialise in working with stakeholders across professional boundaries to achieve sustainable change.