Care England, the largest representative body for independent providers of adult social care, remains deeply concerned about the unresolved threats to the existence of the learning disability sector posed by the retrospective liability and future funding proposals for sleep-ins (Crisis over sleep-in payments could force children’s homes to close, theguardian.com, 29 September). While the government has offered a one-month reprieve, it is vital that any decision the government reaches in relation to funding of sleep-ins being paid at the national living wage takes full account of the reality that the sector has been operating for years within very contradictory guidance; and that there is no blame for providers.
In these circumstances it must be right that the government should accept responsibility for meeting the substantial costs of backdating sleep-in costs up until the date of the announcement on 26 July. None of the additional funding announced for social care in 2017 has been allocated to meet the demand of retrospective liability.
Professor Martin Green
Chief executive, Care England
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