Socialheads
The future of safe communication in social care
Social care is using technology that is not keeping up with practice. The future direction is not more apps, but better sector-specific tools that sit alongside existing systems.
The Centre for Care’s “Technology in Social Care” report (2022) highlighted three persistent problems:
- Poor integration between digital systems
- Low confidence among frontline staff
- Technology increasing rather than reducing workload
Practitioner interviews mirrored this. Workers described duplicating notes, switching between platforms, and lacking any safe way to message young people.
At the same time, regulated settings such as children’s homes need audit-ready, compliant communication. They cannot rely on unsecured apps if they want to meet Ofsted expectations and protect staff.
“The future of communication in social care will depend on combining ease of use with safety, compliance, and insight.”
The way forward is clear:
- Tools must integrate with existing case systems.
- Digital contact should be simple and safeguarded.
- Technology must save time, not create admin.
Social care doesn’t need more software; it needs better, interoperable, purpose-built tools that reflect how young people and workers already communicate.
If we get that right, safe communication becomes not a compliance burden but a strength.
References
- Centre for Care. Technology in Social Care Report. 2022.
About Socialheads: We're a UK social enterprise working to create purpose-built communication tools for social care. Our platform is being co-designed with practitioners, young people and organisations to address the real challenges discussed in this article.
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Written by Jeremy