What is adult social care?
What is adult social care?
Adult social care supports people transitioning into adulthood and those over 18’s who need help because of age, disability, illness or other circumstances. It helps you:
- stay independent
- live with dignity
- have more control over your life.
Everyone should have choice, flexibility and control over their care. Local councils, care providers and the government work together to support this.
How we can help
We provide advice, guidance and practical support to help you:
- live independently
- make informed decisions about your care
- find clear information and support.
How we support you
We offer:
- short-term support to help you regain independence
- long-term care options if you need ongoing support
- support for carers who look after someone else.
Finding the right support
If you think you need a care and support assessment, we’ll first help you explore local services that could support your independence.
You can use the My Care Directory to find:
- information and advice to manage your care and wellbeing
- local activities, services and charities
- care providers and paid services.
You can also visit our Living Independently page for support with:
If you need to contact adult social care to make a referral for yourself or someone you know, you can use the online referral form. The referral form will be screened and prioritised based on the information provided. It will then be triaged accordingly.
Adult social care strategy
Our new Adult Social Care strategy, Stronger Together into the Future: Ambitions for 2026 and beyond, sets out how we will support people in Derby to live well, with dignity, independence, and choice.
Derby is a diverse and growing city, and the way people want to live, work, and be supported is changing. This strategy explains how we will respond to those changes, working alongside people, carers, communities, voluntary organisations, care providers, and partners.
What the strategy is about
The strategy describes how we will:
- Help people to stay independent, safe and well in their own homes and communities for as long as possible.
- Make sure support is person-centred, based on people’s strengths and what matters most to them.
- Improve how quickly people receive information, advice, and support.
- Use technology in a thoughtful way to enhance, not replace, meaningful relationships and care.
- Work closely with partners across health and social care to provide more joined-up, easy-to-navigate services.
- Tackle inequalities so that everyone in Derby has fair access to the right support, at the right time, in the right way.
It is underpinned by the Care Act 2014 and Derby City Council’s Council Plan 2025–2028, and builds on our previous Your Life, Your Choice strategy.
Our key priorities
The strategy focuses on six main priorities:
- Empowering people and communities to remain independent
- Delivering high-quality, person-centred care
- Living safely, with dignity and respect
- Strengthening partnerships and integration
- Promoting equity and inclusion
- Fostering innovation and sustainability
Shaped by local voices
The strategy has been shaped by people who draw on care and support, carers, staff, and partners, including feedback from our Stronger Together engagement events. We will continue to listen, learn, and adapt so that the strategy leads to real improvements in people’s lives.
Get involved
We are committed to co-producing services with local people. You can get involved in our Stronger Together Co-Production Network to help shape Adult Social Care in Derby.