SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)

As the Social Care Forum opened in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, experts highlighted how the emirate – and the UAE as a whole – delivers inclusive, forward-thinking community services that evolve with the needs of society.

Organised by the Department of Community Development under the theme “Future Ready Social Care: People, Practice, and Policy”, the two-day event gathers policymakers, specialists, and innovators from the UAE and abroad to discuss the development of social care systems.

Providing broad and inclusive community care meant working to meet the needs of everyone, from the children and the elderly to families, people of determination, and residents of the country, said Mahasin Al Hosani, Director of the Social Standards Division at the DCD.

Through the forum, the DCD hopes to convey a key message: “Our first and ultimate goal is to provide a decent life for all members of society,” she said.

“We would like to reassure everyone that we are present and working to ensure that they receive services of the quality we are satisfied with – both at the government level and at the individual level – in the UAE in general and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in particular,” Al Hosani said.

Experts at the forum lauded the social care ecosystem in the country.

“There is a strong focus on inclusion, particularly for people of determination, and innovative models to support elderly people so they can stay in their homes and with their families,” said Josh Hjartarson, Global Human and Social Services Leader for Deloitte Canada, one of the speakers at the forum.

“What stands out most is the family-centric approach, where vulnerable families are surrounded with the right support. Abu Dhabi, in particular, is a leader in this space,” Hjartarson told Aletihad on the sidelines of the event.

AI, he added, is transforming social care and the country is among those setting the benchmark in this space.

“[AI] helps authorities identify families at risk and frees social workers from paperwork to spend more time helping families directly. Once again, the UAE is showing leadership in this area,” Hjartarson said.

Dr. Hilary Cottam, an author, social entrepreneur, and policy advisor, said she was inspired by the vision of Abu Dhabi.

“It is my first time in Abu Dhabi, and I feel the incredible energy of a young, vibrant culture that’s at the beginning of rethinking social care. It is exciting to bring that energy to a sector that urgently needs reinvention,” she said.

Dr. Cottam pointed out the UAE’s forward-looking approach.

“Here in the Emirates, you have the chance to leapfrog outdated models and build something new and truly human-centred,” she said.