A new study has found that a care programme called Community Led Support (CLS) is helping improve adult social care in England. The programme focuses on people’s strengths—like their skills, family, and community support—rather than just their problems.
CLS was developed by the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTI), a UK-based organisation that works to make services more inclusive and person-centred. Local councils that join the CLS programme receive support from NDTI to review how they deliver care, train staff, and set up community hubs where people can speak directly with care professionals.
The research, featured in The European Journal of Ageing, received funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) through the National Priorities programme for adult social care and work. It was led by NIHR Applied Research Collaborations in Kent, Surrey and Sussex (ARC KSS), South London and the West Midlands, with research conducted by teams from the University of Kent, Kings College London and the University of Birmingham.
Researchers looked at data from 149 local councils, across the country, between 2016 and 2021. They found that CLS led to:
- Fewer people received publicly funded care services (a 10% drop).
- More care plans being reviewed in a planned, proactive way.
- No increase in overall costs, even with better care quality.
However, the study showed varied outcomes regarding directing individuals to additional services, with some regions performing more effectively than others. The researchers suggest the following actions:
- Supporting more councils to adopt CLS.
- Training staff to use strengths-based approaches.
- Tracking outcomes more consistently.
- Doing more research to understand long-term benefits.
Jinbao Zhang, a researcher at the University of Kent and ARC KSS, and one of the study’s lead authors, commented:
“Our findings clearly demonstrate that strengths-based care has a real impact - it not only enhances people’s lives but also ensures resources are used more effectively. Community Led Support helps individuals access the right assistance and represents a more thoughtful approach to care.”
Professor Robin Miller, also co-lead of the research and Social Care Theme Lead at the Applied Research Collaboration West Midlands, said:
“This important study confirms that strengths-based practice not only reflects the core values of social care and the vital role of families and communities in people’s wellbeing but can also transform the fundamental processes by which people access support. In doing so, it provides crucial evidence for a more person-centred and preventative approach.”
The research recently won the European Social Services Award for Research and Evaluation.
Further reading:
Leading by example? Culture, change and strengths-based social work, British Journal of Social Work (2025)
Changing culture nor just process: Community led support in action, University of Birmingham
Effect of strengths-based care: community-led support, Centre for Open Science.
