Self Directed Support

What is Self Directed Support?

Self Directed Support (SDS) is a flexible way of providing Social Care Services. It enables you to:

Have more choice and flexibility.
Have money to buy your own services.
Choose services to suit/improve your lifestyle.
Manage your own support.

An individual budget is agreed with you by assessing your needs and preferences. The Highland Council will give you an assessment questionnaire. The person managing your care or your carers will also get the chance to offer their ideas and opinions as part of the assessment. The Council will then give you an indication of the amount of money available for your support. The assessment will look at your needs and what support you already have.

You will then create a support plan by describing how you would like to live your life. This plan details the specific goals or outcomes you would like to achieve with the support provided through Self Directed Support. Your plan will answer questions like:

How will your arrange your support?
How will you spend your money?
How will you manage your support?
How will you stay in control?
What will you do next?

A care manager or social worker at the Council has to say your plan is okay before you can get your individual budget.

Your plan might involve you receiving your support via:

A direct payment from the local authority
The local authority arranging your care or support for you
Working with a care provider to manage your budget for you
A combination of the above.

You can spend your budget as you wish, providing it is legal and follows your agreed support plan. This gives you control over how, when and where your support is provided. Every three months you will need to tell us about how you spent the money to achieve your goals.

You will meet with your care manager or social worker at least once a year to update your plan. Your care manager or social worker needs to know how your plan is working and how you are spending the money.