If I ever had doubts as to whether the Residential Forum still had a
role to play, they have been swept away by Covid 19.  How sad and
ironic that it takes the tragedy of the deaths in residential care homes
for government to realise just what an important role residential care
and the care workers who look after the vulnerable, play in the life of
the nation and how undervalued it has always been.  

I feel passionately
that the occasion must be seized never to allow residential care and
social care to be so undervalued and under resourced. On Thursday the
applause it is rightly about the NHS and other front line workers, but
care workers in both residential and social care remain almost
invisible. I would walk round my patio a hundred times if it would
help to highlight the important and valuable role they play.