welcome to:
We give free and independent information and advice about getting social care and community support in Perth and Kinross.
what is self-directed support?
Self-directed Support (SDS) is an approach to social care that puts the person at the centre of the support planning process. It enables people, carers and families to make informed choices about their social care support and how it is delivered.
The Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 ensures that when discharging their duty to support people in need, local authorities do so in a way which offers the person choice, control and flexibility to determine how they wish to receive support.
It means that anyone (adult or child) being assessed for care and support via the local authority must be offered more choice about how they receive support.
You can now choose from 4 different ways of getting support, these are called ‘SDS options’.
what can you use self-directed support for?
Self-directed Support can be used in many ways. You can get support to live in your own home, such as help with meal preparation, medication and personal hygiene.
Out of the home, SDS could support you to go to college, to continue in employment or support you to start a job, or to enjoy leisure pursuits. You might be able to arrange support to help you attend local classes, go swimming, or be a volunteer helping others. SDS could also be used to pay for a short break (respite) or for equipment and temporary adaptations.
You can choose whether you would prefer to get support from a service provider such as a voluntary organisation or care agency, or by employing PAs, or a combination of both.
how do I get self-directed support?
If you feel that you need help with everyday things because of a health condition, disability or personal circumstances you can contact the Community Care Access Team (0345 301 1120 for Perth and Kinross). They will talk this through with you and assess you using the eligibility criteria for care. Once the care and support that you need has been identified you then have choices in how it is managed.
Self-directed Support should not be a daunting process, it is simply the way that social care services are now accessed. The purpose of this is to allow you to decide how much control and responsibility you want to have over your own support arrangements.
Before contacting the council, you may find it helpful to speak with an independent support provider such as Support Choices. We provide people with free information, help and advice on Self-directed Support.
The council decides how much money it will provide. You can decide how you wish to spend it on the agreed support. There are 4 different options.
Option 1
“I get the money to spend on the support I choose.”
The council gives you the money to arrange and pay for your support. This is called a direct payment. You can employ a personal assistant or buy services from a support provider.
Option 2
“I tell the council what to spend the money on.”
You choose how the money is spent. The council or your support provider manages the money for you.
Option 3
“I let the council decide how to spend the money.”
You ask the council to choose and arrange the support that it thinks is right for you. The council manages the money.
Option 4
“A mix of Options 1, 2 & 3”
You choose more than one of the 3 options.