​The Scottish Government believes everyone should be in control of their life. In order to achieve this The Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 was introduced.

 

The Act came into force on 01 April 2014 and places a duty on local authority social work departments to offer people who are eligible for social care a range of choices over how they receive their social care and support.  Self-directed Support allows people, their carers 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.

​

Having more choice and control is empowering. We should all be equal partners in making decisions that affect us. This leads to more of us being confident, independent and enables us to achieve our aspirations for a happier, healthier and more fulfilled life.  Support and care have a vital role to play in ensuring everyone can enjoy the same human rights - dignity, equality of opportunity and access. Having greater control of your life and decision making leads to improved health and well-being.​

​

If you feel that you or a loved one has a need for a level of care or support in daily living, which is not currently available to you, then you may wish to contact your Local Authority to discuss this with a Social Worker. Local Authorities have a duty to support people in need and they must be sure that any resources they allocate to people are sufficient to meet those needs. All support and guidance can be accessed through the Scottish Government's Self-Directed Support (SDS) website here. This is a one-stop-shop for information about Self-Directed Support for people who use Social Care Services.