Self Directed Support

The way that people access social care and support is changing to provide increased independence, greater choice and the ability to direct your own support.

The Scottish Government introduced The Social Care (Self Directed Support) Scotland Act 2013. It was introduced to allow anyone who is eligible for social care to have a range of choices over how they receive their social care support and gives as much or as little control over their individual budget. Individuals can choose how the money they are allocated to provide them with services is spent through Self-Directed Support.

New laws mean that services have to be flexible and tailored to individuals’ needs. People have more choice and control in how their services are designed and receive support that is most suited to them.

Scottish Goverment legislation places a duty on Councils to offer and promote Self-Directed Support options. There are four options for people receiving services through Self-Directed Support:

• a direct payment for the individual to arrange their own care and support;
• the person chooses who they want to provide the support they want and the Council then arranges the care for the person. This is called an Individual Service Fund. The Council is currently working on a framework to enable the full implementation of this option and anticipate that this will be available in the near future;
• Council arranged services;
• a combination of the above options.

There are organisations that can provide advice on Self Directed Support as well as support to plan your SDS support and work out costings, advise about employing a PA, making up job descriptions, advertising the post, interviewing PA’s, references, PVG’s, employers insurance, contracts of employment, PA inductions, paying your PA and keeping details of your budget, Health & Safety, PA training and PA’s leaving.