What is Self-Directed
Support?
The Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 requires local authorities to provide support that offers you choice, control, and flexibility. Anyone assessed for care and support must be given options on how they receive it.
After a social worker assesses your needs, you may be allocated a budget for your support. You can then choose from four different SDS options to find what works best for you.
Option 1
Direct Payment
You get money from your local authority to manage your own support.
Option 2
Local Authority Arranges Support
You decide how to spend your local authority budget, and they arrange the services for you.
Option 3
Local Authority Decides and Arranges Support
You ask the local authority to pick and set up your care and support.
Option 4
Mix and Match for Care and Support
You can mix parts of different options to suit your needs.
Option One
Future PathwaysOption One
Future PathwaysOption Two
Local Authority Arranges SupportOption Two
Local Authority Arranges SupportOption Three
Local Authority Decides and Arranges SupportOption Three
Local Authority Decides and Arranges SupportOption Four
Mix and Match for Care and SupportOption Four
Mix and Match for Care and SupportFor more information on Self Directed Support
We work in partnership with Self Directed Support Scotland, a membership organisation that works to influence national and local social care policy. Their website has a range of resources to guide people on all aspects of Self-Directed Support.
Join the SDS Forum and join the online conversation on SDS in Scotland. Ask questions, share insight and knowledge with like-minded people.
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FAQS
All types of care and support should be arranged following the rules of Self-directed Support. This is the same for everyone:
- SDS is for people of all ages, including children and older people.
- SDS is for all people, whatever type of support they need.
- SDS is for everyone in Scotland, wherever you live.
- SDS is also for unpaid carers who get support in their own right.
The name Self-directed Support comes from the law that says how people should get care and support in Scotland. The law came into effect in 2014 and is called the Social Care (Self Directed Support) (Scotland) Act.
Each local council decides who can get formal social care support through them. This article explains how this works, and how to get support if you cannot get this through your local council.
An assessment of needs is a discussion between you, anyone who helps you, such as one of our brokers, and your council, to understand your current situation and what you need support with. Find out more about what it involves and how to prepare for it.
If someone finds it difficult to understand and make decisions for themselves, they may need someone in their life who is legally responsible for helping them make decisions, or even to make decisions for them. Find out more about how this relates to social care support.
Discussing your own needs or those of a loved one during an assessment process can be daunting. It’s important to think about what you need help with, what natural support and resources you already have, what is important to you, what are you hoping to achieve or change, how will you need to be supported, how you would like to use your budget and how you would like your support to be managed. In Control Scotland have a useful resource booklet that can help you think this through on your own, or with the help of your broker. You can access it using the link below.
There is a range of support available for children and young people, but the eligibility criteria, assessment process and funds available differ to adult services. To explore a range of topics covering this click below.
As your child gets older there will come a time when their support moves from children’s services to adult services. Preparing and planning for this change is known as the transition period. Find out more about Transition and what will help you and your child prepare for life after school and the involvement of adult services.
Unlike healthcare which is free through the NHS, you may have to pay some money towards social care support. Find out when you might need to pay, and how it works.
Find out more about free personal and nursing care and how to get this through your council. Learn how you can choose how this support is provided.
Find out more about support budgets (sometimes called individual budgets). Learn where you can get help to understand your support budget and work out how to spend it.
The SDS Handbook and the PA Employers Handbook linked above offer a great range of resources and information. Some other resources you may wish to refer to are noted below:
