Self-Directed Support Option 4 – Mix and Match
What does Option 4 involve?
With Option 4, you have the flexibility to choose from a mixture of some or all the other options (see below) in a way that will meet your support needs and agreed outcomes:
- Option 1 Direct Payment
- Option 2 Directing Your Support
- Option 3 Arranged Support
This means that you can pick those parts of your support needs that you want to have most control over and what you want to leave to the Council to decide on your behalf.
By choosing Option 4 you have not lost any choice and control over your support. Your practitioner will still support and engage with you about how you would like your support to be delivered to meet your needs and will keep you informed about your chosen arrangements.
Can you give an example on how Option 4 can be used?
During the assessment and planning process you may have already identified that Option 3 Arranged Support is meeting most of your support needs and agreed outcomes and you want to continue with this arrangement. It may be the case however that you want some different staffing support to enable you to participate in community activities and so employ a Personal Assistant (Option 1 Direct Payment) for this purpose. Your Option 3 and Option 1 choices taken together become an Option 4 package.
You can choose to mix the options in any way you want as long as there is an agreed plan for meeting your identified outcomes and support needs. Your practitioner will provide you with ongoing support in reviewing and managing the options you have chosen.
Your assessment and support plan
Once your eligibility for a social work service has been confirmed, an outcome-focused assessment will evidence your assessed needs. A Support Plan will then be completed by you and your practitioner which will focus on what outcomes you want to achieve and how you hope to achieve them. As part of the support planning process, your practitioner will advise you how much your individual budget is, as it should be very clear as to what monies are available and how these can be spent to meet your agreed outcomes. If you have any queries about the assessment and support planning process, you should contact your named practitioner.
Your individual budget
The Council will inform you of the budget that is available for you to spend on meeting your agreed outcomes. This funding is provided by the Council and therefore must be accounted for and audited in line with statutory responsibilities.
Individual budgets will vary from person to person due to individuals having different needs, circumstances and preferred outcomes. Your individual budget will be subject to review on an annual basis.
Contributing to your care and support
A non-residential financial assessment will be completed, where applicable, to find out if you should make a financial contribution towards your support. Your practitioner will help you to complete the relevant form. Paying your contribution, if applicable, is your responsibility and you must pay this directly to the council/provider or into the direct payment pre-payment card depending on which option you have chosen.
Choosing Option 4 – Summary
- Once your eligibility for a social work service has been confirmed you should have a conversation with your practitioner and decide which outcomes are most important to you for the year ahead (all outcomes may not be met each year depending on the decisions you make).
- You and your practitioner will develop an outcome-focused support plan and agree how your personal outcomes will be met. The practitioner will explain the four SDS options and the differences between them – they will not decide which option you should opt for, and they will not recommend a preference either. It is your decision as to which option arrangements will best meet your support needs and fulfil your desired outcomes. If needs be, you can change this preference at any time however any transition to implement this change may take some time to plan and arrange. Your outcome-focused support plan will form the basis of your six-week and annual reviews to ensure that your outcomes are being met. Your support plan can be shared with whomever you wish including your chosen provider.
- After the first 6 weeks of these option arrangements being in place, a review will be facilitated by your practitioner. The purpose of this review is to reflect in these early stages on your support plan and to give you the opportunity to talk about what is working, what is not working so well and what you may want done differently. You can discuss with your practitioner and anyone else who you have invited to the review what changes to your support plan or to the delivery of it. You and your practitioner will also review the support plan annually to ensure that your outcomes are being met and what changes to your arrangements, if any, need to be agreed. In addition, your Financial Assessment will also be reviewed annually to determine any changes to the client contribution.
- The combination of SDS options that you have chosen can be changed at any time if you think that other option arrangements will be more effective in meeting your needs and delivering your outcomes. You should speak to your practitioner about the available alternatives.
