Self-Directed Support (SDS)
Did you know that you may be entitled to funding which can be used to buy your own tailored care services that allow you to remain within the comfort of your own home.
What is Self-Directed Support ?
Self-Directed Support is a major change in the way people with social care needs are supported. It aims to improve the impact that care and support has on people’s lives by helping them choose and control what type of social care services they get, when and where they get them and who provides them.
The Scottish Government believes everyone should be in control of their life. Some people need support to lead an independent life and be empowered to make important decisions in their life. In order to achieve this the Scottish Government introduced The Social Care (Self-Directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013. The Act came into force on 01 April 2014 and places a duty on local authority social work departments to offer people who eligible for social care a range of choices over how they receive their social care and support.
Self-directed support allows people, their carer’s and their families to make informed choices on what their support looks like and how it is delivered, making it possible to meet agreed personal outcomes.
Put another way Self-Directed Support can be a direct payment to an individual, who has been assessed and deemed to be entitled to support, and those weekly/monthly payments can then be used by the individual to buy care services from a third party in a way that suits their needs – and Home Instead South Lanarkshire is one such provider who can deliver your support package tailored to your individual needs.
Why would I want Self-Directed Support ?
Self-directed support gives you choices and control in respect of what your support might look like. If for example you need support in getting out of bed in the morning and going to bed at night, then SDS allows you to arrange for someone to come in at times that suit you and not when it suits the local authority. So instead of someone from the local authority coming in at 7-30am to help you out of bed, SDS allows you to choose someone like Home Instead to come in at, say 9-00am, as that’s when you want to get up. You no longer have to go to bed at 7-00pm as that’s the only time the local authority can help you, with SDS you can watch a bit of telly and someone like Home Instead will come in at 8-30pm or whenever you want, and help you to get ready for bed.
These small changes can make a huge impact on an individual’s life but most people do not know that this is an option that is available to them.
Am I eligible for Self-Directed Support ?
If you feel that you have a need for a level of care or support in daily living, then you may wish to contact your local Social Work office to discuss this with a social worker and arrange for an assessment to be carried out. Social Work have a duty to support people in need and they must be sure that any resources they allocate are sufficient to meet those needs.
Each Council may have slightly different processes but it is most likely that in your area there will be a central contact telephone number. You can either call yourself, or have a friend, neighbour, doctor, family member, nurse, or another make contact on your behalf.
See attached link for all South Lanarkshire Social Work Offices.
Local Area Office – South Lanarkshire Council for the Clydesdale area
Local Area Office – South Lanarkshire Council for the Hamilton, Blantyre and Larkhall areas
Local Area Office – South Lanarkshire Council for Rutherglen and Cambuslang areas
You can also contact Home Instead South Lanarkshire and we can help get you in touch with the right person.
Once you have been assessed as requiring support then you are automatically entitled to use the SDS as a way of receiving that support and the council has a duty to make you aware of that.
Below is a link to South Lanarkshire Councils website and their policy on SDS
Self-Directed Support Fact Sheet
Having explained what SDS is and why it may be helpful to you, why not download our Fact Sheet on Self-Directed Support and it will take you through what is involved from start to finish.
If you are currently receiving support from social work but do not like the times that they provide support or would like a little bit more than they currently provide and would benefit from receiving your support package from a more flexible provider, like Home Instead, via SDS, then give us a call at Home Instead South Lanarkshire.