1. Addressing the needs of vulnerable families in our communities
Alfred Grixti, Foundation for Social Welfare Services (FSWS), Malta

When planning and delivering community care, social services working in the community need to come together to provide an integrated multi-professional approach and, ultimately, fight poverty and social exclusion. In Malta, an agency was exclusively created to offer such a space. By explaining the mission of the agency, the Maltese Foundation for Social Welfare Services will stress the importance of nurturing social development through an integrated multi-professional approach based on families’ and community needs.

2. The economic case for community care – a regional authority perspective (IT)
Marco Espa and Francesca Palmas, ABC Associazione Cerebrolesi, Italy

Presenters from the region of Sardinia, Italy, will make an economic case for individualised plans for people with disabilities versus their institutionalisation in residential care. Thanks to the establishment of such plans, people with severe disabilities now manage to live independently and the region of Sardinia has saved more than 5 times the costs of institutionalisation.

3. Only the lonely: Experiences from initiatives in a municipality in Denmark to help users of public care out of loneliness
Jens Bejer Damgaard, Municipality of Holstebro, Denmark

Loneliness can deprive people of their ability to manage everyday tasks. Many health and social care professionals try to address issues concerning health, material, and social needs. However, addressing loneliness requires a different approach, one that involves professionals, the individual and the communities where they live. In this workshop, the Municipality of Holstebro in Denmark will present its local strategy to reduced unwanted loneliness, which is implemented through a community care approach with a range of stakeholders.

4. Personalising workforce development – Better outcomes for all.
Jim Thomas and Marie Lovell, Skills for Care, United Kingdom

Creating support for people that is right for them requires thoughtful and respectful conversations. Personalising care and support, and the funding to support this, is fundamental to enabling people to live independent lives. But in personalising care and support we forget to do the same for the workforce supporting that person. This session explores a project where we did personalise learning and development to the needs of individuals and their specific needs. It shows how doing so can increase people’s life opportunities and empower the workforce that supports them.