What is Self Directed Support

What is Self-Directed Support?

Self-Directed Support (SDS) is the means by which social care is arranged and delivered in Scotland and is intended to support, promote and protect the human rights and independent living of care and support users. It seeks to ensure that the care and support provision is delivered in a way that supports an individual’s choice and control, meets their assessed needs and fulfils their desired outcomes.

Who Is Self-Directed Support For?

SDS is for anyone – children, adults or unpaid carers – who has been assessed by social work practitioners as being eligible for care and support services because of their current needs. These eligible individuals will then be offered four different options to meet those assessed needs. Information about the nature and effect of these options will be provided to help them choose the best option for themselves given their current needs and circumstances.

Self-Directed Support – The Four Options

These four options offer different ways of arranging and delivering an individual’s required care and support. Each has different levels of involvement and control for the individual to be mindful of and select from.

Option 1 (Direct Payment)

An agreed personal budget is paid to the individual to enable them to purchase the required support and services to meet their agreed outcomes. This option is only suitable where an individual has capacity to manage the budget and support, or where legal powers (Financial and Welfare Guardianship or Power of Attorney) are in place and is managed on the individual’s behalf. This option offers the opportunity to employ Personal Assistants directly.

Option 2 (Directing Your Support)

The individual makes all the decisions relating to where, how and when they will be supported. They decide on the goods, activities and services that they want to buy, access or use and these will be paid on their behalf by either the local authority or a 3rd party Individual Service Fund.

Option 3 (Local Authority-Arranged Support)

The individual can request the council to choose, arrange and pay for their care and support on their behalf. This option will be necessary if the individual does not have capacity or a legal guardian or a Power of Attorney who can make decisions regarding their care and support on their behalf.

Option 4 (mix and match)

This option enables the individual to choose more than one of the other three available options. It means that they can have more choice and control in respect of some aspects of their care and support than in others depending on their needs, circumstances and preferences.