Social Care and Justice
The Green Party prioritises the creation of a more caring and just society in which everyone feels valued, in which all voices are heard, and in which everyone is able to pursue their personal goals and ambitions. We value and celebrate diversity for all the benefits it brings to our way of life and culture. And particularly in a county where the agricultural sector depends heavily on seasonal working, we welcome the contribution of migrant workers and traveller families. We also recognise with pride the efforts that have been made in in our area to resettle refugee families from war-torn countries, who are now able to rebuild their lives in peace and contribute to their new local communities.
As your local Green Party, we will:
- Press for more public investment and support for the caring services, much of the work
of which is provided on an unpaid basis (e.g. looking after elderly parents and/or
children)
- Improve access to, and the quality of, social care. A review (with follow-on action) is
urgently needed on the effects of the drastic cutbacks that have taken place over recent
years and of the quality of provision that has been transferred to the private sector from
county council management
- Work with the voluntary sector and with our councils to improve advice & advocacy
services to ensure that everyone receives their entitlements
- Campaign for a new ‘early years’ programme, equivalent to ‘Sure Start’, in our local area
to provide the best possible start in life for our children through provision of childcare,
nursery education, health checks and advice and family support. We have been especially
impressed by the programme now operating in Edinburgh
(http://www.chaiedinburgh.org.uk).
- Promote the provision of more community-based (‘social/lunch club’ or U3A-type)
programmes to combat social isolation and loneliness as more people live longer, often
with limiting mobility.
- Press for more investment in ‘police community support officers’ to provide more visible
police-patrolling among our communities to deter crime and ensure that people feel safer
in their homes and neighbourhoods.
- Support town and parish councils to increase their democratic representativeness,
community leadership role and responsiveness to their residents and communities.
