The Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 will be implemented on 1 April 2014.
Self-directed support (SDS) is the new approach to supporting individuals, and their carers, who are eligible to access social care support services. Self-directed support empowers people to direct their own care and support.
Self-directed support places the individual at the centre of the assessment and planning process and recognises that they are best placed to understand their own needs, make choices and take more control of their lives.
Dundee City Council is changing the way it delivers social care. This new way of working is known as Personalisation - Personalisation means that people are actively involved in shaping and selecting the services they receive; it promotes greater independence, and focuses on getting positive results for everyone involved.
This means people should have more choice and control over the support they receive. Personalisation allows people to choose the type of support they want to get the results they need. It also means people may choose to have control over the budget for their support.
Self-Directed Support is the process that supports the delivery of Personalisation. Dundee City Council is committed to the implementation of self-directed support and ensuring individuals and families have real choice and control.
Personalising social care support in Dundee
The Social Work Department works with many different individuals in diverse circumstances. Because of this social work supports and services must be wide ranging and right for each individual and their family.
In their Self Directed Support strategy, which is intended to develop over a ten year period, the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) have a shared ambition to offer people opportunities to maximise choice and control over any formal support they require.
Self-directed support is the principle that people have informed choice about the way that their social care and support is provided to them. People can choose to take a lot of control over their support – for instance through a direct payment – or they can decide to take less control and ask the local authority to arrange their support on their behalf.
Self Directed Support means that now, and in the future, every person who receives care and support will have a greater say over the shape of their care and support. This will include being able to have support from an advocate; advocates may be a carer, a relative or a friend or they may choose to ask an advocacy organisation to help them
Want to know more?
Dundee City Council Social Work Department have progressed a programme of change to develop personalisation and have arrangements in place to offer the range of options available for Self Directed Support.
If you are an adult or child with care or support needs you may already be involved with a worker in Social Work, Social Care or Health Services. You can ask this worker to give you more advice about care and support services and information about Self Directed Support. If you have care and support needs, and are not already known to services but would like more advice or support, please contact:
The First Contact Team - 01382 434019 (for adults aged 16 and over)
Children’s Services - 01382 307940 (for children and their families)
Further Information about Self Directed Support
- The Social Care (Self Directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 - provides information about the legislation
- Dundee and Angus Direct Payments Support Service-provides information about Direct Payments
- Self Directed Support Scotland-provides information about Self Directed Support in Scotland
- Your life, your care, your support - a Dundee City Council leaflet explaining Self Directed Support
National guidance launched
New statutory guidance and regulations means that everyone who is entitled to social care support should be offered greater choice, flexibility and control over their support. National Guides for users, carers and practitioners have also been published. You can check these out here: