Lawyer Monthly - December 2021 Edition

As a result, we have seen a dramatic reduction of the number of community care cases taken on and community care specialists are leaving the profession in droves. It is scandalous that community care lawyers are leaving simply because they cannot afford to do the work. Greater investment is urgently needed for early legal support. What effect does a lack of access to legal aid have on the population? How are more vulnerable groups affected? Whether provided in our own home, a care home or in the community, social care is the very basic support that we need to wash, eat, maintain relationships with loved ones and live a life of dignity. Without legal help to enforce the right to this support, people can experience trauma, neglect and abuse. From a 94-year-old with dementia denied support to help her remember to wash, dress and feed herself; to the case of a 14-year-old with autism and learning disabilities placed hundreds of miles away from his family, self-harming by swallowing pieces of glass; through to the horrific cases of people with a learning disability being tortured by abusive care workers or criminals in the community; the cases we work on are so distressing that we are seeking additional funding to 75% of local authority leaders admit they are not confident or are only partially confident that they will meet their legal duties to provide social care this year.