Promoting a sustainable system of self-directed support that works for people

Self-directed support – a presentation

Self-directed support Self-directed support is just a term that was developed to describe a way of doing things where the person would be in control of deciding how they would use all the resources available to them to get the life and support they want. The ideas of self-directed support were developed at first so that people who did not want to choose a direct payment ( or were deemed not to have the capacity to do so) could still have a similar level of choice, control and flexibility

Self-directed support The ideas and practice of self-directed support were a progression and developed from positive practice such as person centred planning, direct payments, supported living At first, the Government vision for a strategy for Scotland was simply to increase the number of people choosing to take a direct payment, but this developed much more broadly before the National Strategy was published in 2010

5 The National Strategy “ The Scottish Government are committed to driving a cultural shift around the delivery of care and support in Scotland, with self-directed support becoming the mainstream approach”

The Social Care (Self- Directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 Legislation

So what’s in place National Strategy Legislation Statutory guidance Good practice guidance Funding to support Implementation

Implementation is patchy!

Self directed support Act – - duties of a council To offer 4 different options of self directed support: - Direct payment - Managed by third party - Arranged services - Mixture of above Information, support and advice about these.

The Act General statutory principles of the legislation: Involvement Informed choice Collaboration Applies to all adults and to children and families

Self-directed support – questions and answers

Questions where the answer is yes! Is self-directed supported support for everyone? Should I be offered the four options of self-directed support? Should there be information, advice and support about the four options available in my area? Should I know how much funding is available for me and my family from my local authority? Are there circumstances where not all the options will be available? Can we get a direct payment for support to a child? Can I challenge decisions that are made which don’t make sense for us?

Questions where the answer is no! Can anyone access funding to self-directed support ? Can I use the money for anything? Do I have to buy hours of support? Is it a wish list of things I want? Does it mean I have to do everything on my own? Is self-directed support the only way our need for support will be met? Should there be some things about self-directed support where I am kept in the dark?

Questions where the answer is maybe! Can I really use it to buy … a trampoline, a dog, a boat, a ramp; football tickets, for days out, for holidays, for a caravan…? Should I be offered a choice of providers? Can I employ other people in my extended family? Can I use an organisation to support, not on the local authority ‘approved provider/framework’ list?

A word about eligibility You will only be offered the opportunity to use any of the four options to direct your own support if you have been assessed as being ‘eligible’. There are similarities between how eligibility is assessed across different local authorities, but it does vary, as does the amount of funding for your support which is offered In most areas, there is a ‘banding’ system which indicates the sort of funding that will be available to you.

It will be something like this.. Assessment and all that ( are you eligible?; what sorts of things do you want to achieve?; what are the ‘outcomes’; what sort of resources (budget) is available? BUT should not be service solutions at this sage Planning the Support ( how will you use all the resources you have to get the life and support you want and that will work best for you; which option would work best for you Living your life with support in place; review of how this is going and opportunity to change and/or make new decisions.

Self-directed support More than anything self-directed support is about a way of doing things Support in whatever way works for you to plan and think about how to use all your resources

The absolutes (self-directed support boiled down!) Maximum flexibility of spend (as long as it can be seen to achieve what is wanted – ‘outcomes’) Support in whatever way works for you to plan and think about how to use all your resources so that support and services make sense