Council agrees to continue Self Directed Support for Highland people

11th November 2010

Highland Council has committed to the continuation of an innovative approach to the funding and delivery of social care services.

The Council was one of three authorities who piloted the use of Self Directed Support for the Scottish Government, over the last two years.

Self Directed Support involves people agreeing with social work staff, the outcomes that they seek to achieve from care services. It then allows them to receive funding so that they can choose and manage these services, in order to achieve the agreed outcomes, rather than receive services as part of an arrangement directly funded by the Council.

Twenty three people in the Highlands have benefited from the introduction of Self Directed Support to date. A further 5 people are soon to join the programme.

Members of The Highland Council's Housing and Social Work Committee have agreed that Self Directed Support Services will be sustained in the Highlands following the end of the pilot, with a report to the next committee meeting on the additional management and administrative measures that will be required to take this forward in 2011.

The immediate impact will be that 9 current users of Self Directed Support will be able to continue their present arrangements, as their funding will be guaranteed. The initiative will also then be rolled out to other areas, on a planned and phased basis.

Councillor Margaret David, Chairman of The Highland Council's Housing and Social Work Committee said: "The feedback from people using SDS in the Highlands has been overwhelmingly positive, with many people stating that SDS has vastly improved the quality of life for them and their whole family. People have commented repeatedly that they are delighted by the flexibility, choice and value for money they have been able to achieve when given control of their own budget."