The second Reading of the Social Services Bill took place in the House of Keys on 2 November 2010. The Bill is intended to give service users greater clarity as to their rights, the services available and their eligibility criteria, greater choice to meet the individual’s specific needs as well as greater flexibility for the Department in how it can meet those needs. The Bill has been introduced as part of the Government’s overall aim in protecting and promoting the well being of the family and provide for economic and social inclusion of our community. The Department of Social Care is one of the main contributors to this Government objective. Minister for Social Care Hon Martyn Quayle MHK said: “My Department continues to meet the increasing demand in our community for care services. This legislation will give us the right basis to ensure we can meet the needs of individuals and the community flexibly and transparently while recognising that resources are limited and public services must be provided based on need. May I take this opportunity to thank my colleague Hon Eddie Teare MHK who has kindly agreed to take this Bill through the Branches of Tynwald as he played a key role in its development while he was Minister of Health and Social Security.” The Department of Social Care’s services are becoming increasingly important in the care and support of both children and adults by helping families with parenting skills, protecting children, offering fostering and adoption services. Other groups in our society, including the elderly, people with learning disabilities, physically disabled, those with mental health problems and those with drug and alcohol problems need the Department’s care that is delivered through its many services, often in collaboration with other parts of Government as well as the third sector. The last piece of overarching legislation that covered the area of social care services was the 1951 National Assistance Act. However, social care has changed beyond recognition within the last 60 years. The Social Services Bill that has been introduced by the Department of Social will have clear and modern cohesive frameworks for social care services as a whole. It gives clear, full and accurate statements of the duties and powers of the Department in relation to providing information and advice, assessment and service provision to both service users and carers. It will ensure that people are assessed and services are provided according to their assessed needs for those services as opposed to providing services based on a defined age, disability or illness. The statute contains financial provision that will enable the Department to obtain best value for money. The Department will put in place a fair and equitable system and provide clear criteria on eligibility for our services. It will give more choice to service users by allowing residents supported by social security to upgrade to more expensive care accommodation if they cover the additional cost. It will cover the deferring of payments of accommodation costs so that residents do not have to immediately sell their property on entering care accommodation and sanctioning arrangements for the provision of care accommodation off the Island when appropriate. The Bill also includes a complaints system incorporating a joint health and social care independent review body to ensure that there is a fully independent element contained within the complaints process. ENDS