Person-centred care zone

Eligible need

The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 gives unpaid carers the right to access support in their own right if they have eligible needs. There may also be support available for the person receiving care.

The adult carer support plan or young carer statement is often the first step in helping identify the possibility of support via SDS. It is used to decide whether a carer meets the local eligibility criteria. If they meet the criteria threshold, the local authority has a duty to meet their needs. Although the process may vary across regions, local authorities carry out adult carer support plans, young carers statements, and SDS assessments.

What is Self-Directed Support (SDS)?

Self-Directed Support is where the person receiving care and/or their unpaid carer has choice and control over how social care support is provided and who provides it.

The process begins with an assessment by the local authority, in which the person receiving care and their unpaid carer should be involved in the conversation as much as possible.

Depending on the assessment's outcome, a budget may be provided to help pay for social care support. The person receiving care of the unpaid carer can then chose how they’d like to receive their budget and services using the following options:

OPTION ONE - the person receiving care or their carer receives a direct payment to make arrangements privately through a care provider or by employing a ‘Personal Assistant’

OPTION TWO - the care provider holds the budget and the person receiving care or their carer directs how it is used

OPTION THREE - the local authority commissions or provides the care directly

OPTION FOUR - a mix of the above

The person receiving care and/or their unpaid carer can choose what type of social care support would work best for them. This could include activities such as someone to help accompany them to a football match, out for a meal, cinema outing, tea dance, attending college or university, purchasing a membership, i.e. bowling club or gym membership and purchasing equipment, i.e. a tablet device. The purchases must meet the outcomes stated in the assessment.

Support for the person receiving care and their unpaid carer going through the SDS process can be given by the local authority, brokerage services such as Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living’s Take Control service and Third Sector organisations like Self Directed Support Scotland. This can include support in recruiting and managing personal assistants, finding a care agency, and managing the budget.