The end of military operations in Afghanistan last year brings to a close over a decade of significant conflict in the Middle East. The human cost of that and other recent engagements has been great, not least in terms of the large number of Armed Forces personnel who have been wounded or are returning home with a disability. Back home, the thirteen-year course of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has seen support for returning ex-military personnel rise up the public agenda – a fact attested by the establishment of the charity Help the Heroes, and renewed interest in the military covenant.
Despite this welcome increase in public and political attention, significant gaps remain. In particular, we know very little about what residential care is provided for the young injured and disabled ex-Service people who need it. Most recently, this problem was thrown into sharp relief by Demos’ research as part of the Commission on Residential Care. In contrast with the wealth of interest in residential care for older people, little or no evidence exists on the level and nature of need and demand for care homes, independent living apartments, and other arrangements, in this growing and already under-served population.
The expectations and requirements of ex-Service personnel in relation to their care may differ greatly from other working age disabled groups, and qualitative research conducted by Demos suggests that this knowledge gap can adversely affect the ability of services to meet their needs.
Demos is undertaking research into the situation and needs of injured and disabled ex-Service people in residential care. This project aims to:
- Explore what this group need from care and support services, and what their expectations are of the services they use.
- Establish what services are provided to young injured or disabled ex-Service people and determine how closely these services meet their requirements.
- Recommend ways in which existing residential care services – both those specifically for ex-service people and generalist care services – can better understand the diverse range of needs of this group, and cater to these needs more effectively.
As part of this project, Demos will undertake a range of qualitative research. This will include depth interviews and focus groups with working age ex-Service people both within and outside of residential care settings, as well as providers (both specialist and generalist), charitable organisations, experts and other key stakeholders. A scoping study of the range and nature of existing provision will help identify examples of existing best practice. Ultimately the findings of this research will be distilled into a final report with recommendations to policymakers and the sector, to ensure the UK can offer ex-Service people residential care that is fit for purpose.
This project is supported by the Forces in Mind Trust.
For more information on this project, please contact alexandra.paget@demos.co.uk.
