Self Directed Support

What is Self-Directed Support?
How to Access Self-Directed Support
How You Receive Support Through SDS
Your SDS Options

What is Self-Directed Support?

Self-directed Support (SDS) is Scotland’s national approach to social care.

It gives you choice and control over the care, support or assistance you receive.

SDS is based on your rights, your personal outcomes, and what matters most to you. It means that people can choose and arrange some or all of their own support instead of others choosing and arranging support on your behalf.

If you are eligible for care and support, SDS enables you to:

Make informed choices about how your support is arranged
Have flexibility in how your support is delivered
Use your personal budget in ways that help you achieve your outcomes
Be actively involved in all decisions about your care

SDSScotland has produced a short animation - What is Self-directed Support?

Watch the video on Youtube -https://youtu.be/-0Vnu1wenHk

You can also view The SDS Handbook published by SDS Scotland which is an easy read guide to accessing care and support in Scotland.

The SDS Handbook

How to Access Self-Directed Support

If you require long term care or support, then you may be eligible for SDS. You can access Health & Social Care Moray’s eligibility criteria here.

Eligibility criteria

If you have not had an assessment before, please contact the Access Community Care Team on 01343 563999.

How You Receive Support Through SDS

1. Understanding your needs and available resources

A supported assessment looks at your strengths, needs, what matters to you, and the resources and relationships already in your life.
You may complete this with support from family, friends, an advocate or your social worker.
After the assessment, your social worker will explain what resources are available to meet your outcomes, and this will help you plan your support.

2. Developing your Support Plan

Your support plan is centred on your personal outcomes.
When planning, think about:

• What matters most to you
• What is working well and what needs to change
• How you want your life to look
• What support would help you achieve your outcomes
• How you will stay safe and maintain wellbeing
• How you want to make decisions about your support

SDS encourages creativity - you can explore a wide range of solutions to help you live the life you want.

3. Agreeing your Plan

Your plan must show:

• Your personal outcomes
• How you will achieve them
• Your strengths and existing supports
• Any risks and how these will be managed
• How you want your budget to be managed (Option 1–4)
• Who will provide your support
• Any contingency arrangements

Once agreed, funding is allocated to meet your assessed needs and outcomes.

4. Managing Your Money

Your budget must be used to help you achieve your agreed outcomes.
You choose how your budget is managed using one of the four SDS options.

5. Organising Your Support

To achieve your outcomes, you may:

• Arrange support directly with a provider
• Employ your own staff
• Ask your social worker to arrange support for you

People who can support your decision-making include:

• Family and friends
• Advocacy services
• Service providers
• A Power of Attorney or Guardian
• Your social worker

6. Living Your Life

SDS is designed to help you live a full and meaningful life.
Your support should be flexible, personalised and based on what is important to you.
With agreement from your worker, your budget can be used creatively as long as it helps meet your outcomes safely and appropriately.

7. Reviewing Your Support

You will have a review at least once a year, but you can request one at any time.
The review will consider:

• Whether the support is helping you meet your outcomes
• Whether your needs have changed
• How your budget is being used
• Whether your support arrangements need to change