AbleCare Homes Commitment to the Key Social Values in Bristol
AbleCare Homes are a 4th generation, family run business that has worked alongside Bristol City Council for our entire history. We very much support and embrace this philosophy of the Bristol City Council Social Value Policy in the way our services are run. Our homes are small boutique care homes, all located within local communities, enabling local people to access care and employment.
Social Value aims to move beyond making decisions based on financial cost or price alone. Instead, it advocates seeking ‘Value for money’ in its widest sense by considering potential social benefits (involving people, culture and interactions), economic benefits (such as money flow and financial resources) and environmental benefits (involving the place in which people live, the planet and use of resources). (*Bristol City Council Social Value Policy February 2021)
All of our Bristol Care Homes are rated as Good by the Care Quality Commission. We are accredited as a Real Living Wage employer, operating a pay structure aimed at helping to reduce the concentrated pockets of poverty and deprivation found in our city. We offer local employment to local people and in order to reduce our carbon footprint we order from local suppliers. Throughout the last year of the Covid-19 pandemic we have continue to innovate within our services and are able to offer a high quality, good value care to the population of our Bristol.
If you would like to know more about how we meet the 10 Key Social Value Objectives of our City please read on below:
Our 10 Key Social Value Objectives (*Bristol City Council Social Value Policy February 2021)
The Council has identified 10 key objectives in order to deliver our three overarching aims for Social Value. Each of these 10 objectives is mainly focussed on meeting one particular overarching aim, but may well contribute to the other overarching aims as well.
Focussing specifically on reducing poverty and inequality, we will:
- Support the creation, sustainability and growth of local micro, small and medium- sized enterprises AbleCare Homes are an SME, locally based and established in the area. We support other SME’s and sole traders, using them as suppliers or partners in delivery of our service.
- Support the creation and retention of high-quality, sustainable jobs for local people which pay at least the living wage AbleCare Homes are accredited as a Living Wage Employer, offering a major source of employment for local people.
- Support local people with opportunities for life-long learning, skills development and experiences of work AbleCare Homes have a culture of learning and development. Many of our senior team members have been promoted within our organisation from entry Student or Apprentice level on to Management Positions.
Focussing specifically on enhancing community economic and social wellbeing, we will:
- Support the creation, sustainability and growth of local community groups, voluntary groups and social enterprises, in alignment with the VCSE strategy AbleCare Homes have always worked closely with community and voluntary groups; ranging from Bristol Aging Better and others who support the citizens of Bristol (our residents) to working with Provider Groups within the Council and beyond to support the social care sector in general.
- Promote the involvement of local people and organisations in active citizenship such as volunteering and foster caring We provide placements for volunteers within our homes e.g. placements for Health & Social Care Students based at local colleges and schools to enable them to gain experience and get onto the career ladder.
- Promote the mental and physical health and well-being of local people We have a comprehensive mental health support package available for our teams, including a fully funded counsellor who meets with staff, residents and families in person to support them through times of change and challenge.
- Support the creation of high quality, affordable and sustainable homes and inclusive public spaces Our care homes provide high quality housing for older people and those with dementia who need special adaptations and settings.
Focussing specifically on increasing the city’s resilience and environmental
sustainability, we will:
- Reduce air pollution and greenhouse gases (both direct emissions and those embodied in any supplies and services) AbleCare Homes employ staff from the local areas in which they are based, many are able to walk or use public transport to reach their work base. We offer employees a funded cycle scheme. We purchase from local suppliers who are themselves SME’s within the city wherever possible. All of our electricity is procured from renewable sources via green contracts.
- Reduce and reuse waste, particularly waste that is harmful and/or sent to landfill AbleCare Homes are committed to recycling whenever we can. We have specialist contracts in place aimed at sustainability and reduction of landfill waste.
- Support Bristol becoming a more ecologically resilient and biodiverse city AbleCare Homes maintain mature gardens within our care homes which residents have unrestricted access to. We work with Alive Activities, the Avon Wildlife Trust and others to provide outdoor and gardening opportunities for residents (Covid-19 Dependent).
