Beyond the quick fix: Why digital inclusion must be built into the future of social care

When the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) launched the Digital Lifeline Fund in partnership with Good Things Foundation during the COVID-19 pandemic, it provided an essential emergency bridge for people with learning disabilities. By gifting 5,500 Lenovo tablets, data packages, and digital skills support to people with learning disabilities, the initiative sought to tackle acute social isolation made worse by the pandemic.

Our early evaluations highlighted the immediate benefits: 91% of people supported through the programme reported at least one positive outcome, including feeling less lonely, gaining confidence, improving digital skills, and participating more actively in their communities. However, these early evaluations also raised a crucial red flag: rapid emergency interventions would not guarantee long-term digital inclusion without sustained, ongoing support.

Four years on: How is the support still having an impact?

Longitudinal research carried out by Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) explored what happened after the pandemic emergency passed. The findings show that while many people with learning disabilities remain enthusiastic technology users and want digital to be a positive part of their lives, a rapid initial response followed by minimal ongoing support leads to significant drop-offs in usage over time. Findings that I found particularly interesting include:

Achieving digital participation requires a combination of interventions and support

Digital inclusion is rarely an isolated, individual achievement. Instead, it relies on an interconnected network. It combines personal motivation, access to preferred and up-to-date technology and reliable support from family, carers, and peers. When that human support network is no longer there, digital engagement quickly declines.

The power of practice and "fun hooks"

Sustained digital participation cannot be achieved through a one-off training session. It requires repeated learning, daily practice, and fun, creative reasons to engage. This includes exploring personal hobbies, music, or photography.

Safe spaces to practice

People with learning disabilities need low-stakes environments where they can experiment without the anxiety of making a mistake, breaking a device, or falling victim to an online scam.

What this tells us about digital inclusion in social care

To ensure that people with learning disabilities and others that rely on social care structures are not left behind in an increasingly digital society, MMU's research outlines several ingredients to success:

• Recognise the role of support in enabling independence: Independent use of digital services is often not the goal for individuals. Whilst access provides independence, support is likely to be needed on occasions.Digital inclusion programmes should formally recognise and support the network of paid carers, family members, and peers who make daily digital connection possible.
• Standardise digital inclusion in social care: Digital access should no longer be treated as an optional extra or a temporary project. It must be embedded directly into social care plans as a core duty of care - it is how the modern world works and we should prioritise equal access and support for all
• Invest in workforce training & upskill supporters: Carers and support staff should be supported to learn, grow and update their digital skills, building digital literacy into job descriptions and core training across social care to ensure sustained support even when staff move on.
• Invest in keeping technology current: Many gifted devices from 2021 are now slow, failing, or obsolete. All device programmes should build in provision to update outdated devices that are provided through social care provision
• Fund local experimentation workshops: Community-based "safe spaces" with trusted local faces could play a vital role in supporting people to practice digital tasks. This means a place to go to get support as well as a secure online space to practice navigating systems such as Universal Credit, health apps, or online banking, without fear of getting it wrong.

What does this mean in the context of social care transition

As the government shapes plans for a National Care Service and shifts toward a 'home-first' model, many decisions will need to be made about social care reform. This research, whilst in the context of people with learning disabilities tells us much more about what is needed to make this reform a reality. Digital transformation must empower rather than exclude. If a modern social care system is truly to deliver person-centred care, digital inclusion cannot remain a side project or an emergency fix. It must be embedded as a fundamental right and a core duty of care. Real reform means looking beyond one-off projects, or gifting of devices to fund the human support networks, genuine choice, and safe local spaces that make true digital equality possible.

You can access the findings of the research, The Digital Lifeline Research: Key Findings and Recommendations,via the following link.