Examining Access to Social Care in Barking and Dagenham

Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham conducted research to better understand how residents access social care and why some do not receive the support they need. The project was driven by limited feedback on adult social care compared to health services, and builds on a 2024 study focused on South Asian communities by expanding to all adult residents.

A total of 97 residents participated: 89 completed a survey (half had accessed social care, half had not), with follow-up interviews informing five case studies. An additional eight participants joined a focus group to assess the social care website.

The research explored residents’ experiences of accessing social care, whether it met their needs, awareness of how to access services, and the usability of the website.

Key findings include:

• 67% of users found social care easy to access.
• 61% felt they received the care they needed.
• Residents were over five times more likely to go to a medical professional than access social care online, despite assumptions otherwise.
• “Frustration” was the most common emotion (44%).
• 68% of non-users would likely access social care if needed, and 82% would recommend it.
• 66% said better knowledge would encourage access.
• The LBBD Adult Social Care webpage was seen as too information-dense and not fully user-friendly.