Belinda Robinson, National Care Group’s Director of Development, was recently interviewed by Caring Times about her career in care and the progress made in the sector.

Belinda began her career in social care just as the government’s Care in the Community policy to move learning disability care out of hospitals was emerging.

She talks about the first long-stay institution to be impacted, closing in 1988. The vulnerable adults who moved out of the hospital returned to live in their own communities, with local health authority professionals such as Belinda provided support with.

Belinda explained how most people with a learning disability would go to a Victorian institution unless their parents really fought for it, and about the families she’s spoken to who were told their child would never be able to achieve anything because they had a disability.

From the first hospital closing in 1988, Belinda was involved in the last long-stay hospital to close in 2009, helping families to make the transition.

"Looking back at the all the changes that happened at the start of my career, I can’t help but wonder why it didn’t happen sooner."

Belinda shares how the change was a lot to deal with for the families who had been told their child would never achieve anything and can’t be in an ordinary environment, then to be told they can now live in their own home in the community.

She reflects on that period and how she realised the support offered had to go further.

“It takes a lot of investment – not just money but also time and with our partners planning together to achieve a common goal.”

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