Council departments 

Adult and Community Services is a wide-ranging department. Through its adult social care and adult commissioning divisions, it promotes the independence and well-being of adults and older people, under the banner 'Helping you to live the life you want'.

The Directorate is also responsible for a range of services that improve life in the community, including making the community safer, providing leisure, libraries and arts services, looking after some of our great heritage sites, and work on building a cohesive community.

In 2012, the Directorate expects to welcome the Public Health team from NHS Barking and Dagenham as part of the Government's reform of the health and social care system.

Adult and Community Services is split into four divisions, with Public Health expected to join as a fifth division at some point in 2012.

Adult social care
Provides support and care to the most vulnerable sections of the community, helping them live as independently as possible. This service, through the Intake Team, is the starting point for anyone approaching the Council for social care services.

Adult commissioning
The Adult Commissioning team works in partnership with local people and organisations to understand individuals' care and supported housing needs and to plan the right services to meet them.  This may be from the Council or from other, independent providers. The Cohesion team forms part of this division.

Culture and Sport
As well as providing top-class leisure facilities, such as the new Becontree Heath Leisure Centre, the Division is responsible for borough-wide sports development, as well as the development of our parks and open spaces (which are managed day-to-day through Environment and Enforcement). The Division provided the lead for the Council for the preparations for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Alongside managing the borough's libraries, the team also co-ordinate the Council's contribution to the borough's vibrant community arts and heritage programmes. This includes managing Valence House and Eastbury Manor.

Community Safety and Public Protection
Keeping our borough safe is residents' top priority. The division includes services to combat anti-social behaviour, domestic violence and hate crime. It leads for the Council in joint work with the Metropolitan Police, and also co-ordinates community work on drugs and alcohol. The Division includes the Youth Offending Service, providing innovative programmes and casework for young people in trouble with the law.

Working closely with Adult Social Care and Adult Commissioning, it is also responsible for the arrangements for safeguarding vulnerable adults from abuse and neglect.

The Division also manages the Directorate's business support, information systems, complaints, and performance.

Work with the NHS
The Directorate leads the Council's partnerships with North East London NHS Foundation Trust, particularly around joint services for people with Mental health problems.

Under the Government's health reforms, the Council expects to become responsible for co-ordinating local work on Public Health in April 2013, and working closely with NHS Outer North East London anticipates Public Health joining the Directorate some time in 2012.