Community Micro-Enterprises: As a driver of local economic development in social care

This report explores the benefits to local economies of community micro-enterprises. These are small social businesses that provide care and support in diverse ways.

Published by NEF, the report  illustrates through the example of micro-enterprise how social care can be a way to develop and strengthen local economies, starting with the reality of local conditions and building up capacity. Some of the dividends of this approach explored in the report are:

• enabling more personalised care, by devolving decision making to people needing, and those providing, support
• building social connectedness, by helping people to participate in their communities and to develop and maintain relationships with others, and
• growing resilience, creativity and diversity in the social care sector, and in local economies more widely.