What is self directed support?
Self directed support is the process by which a person has choice and control over the support that they need to go about their daily lives. It is about arranging care to suit a person's personal priorities, such as staying in their own home, and their preferences, for example, to receive support from their family or friends.
The person is more involved in deciding what care is arranged and who is going to do what, than is the case in the current system. It allows greater flexibility and creativity to meet individual expectations.
See it in action
The BBC made this report about how taking control of your own support and care has worked for an Oxfordshire resident and his family. View video of Luke Davey.
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A very short summary
Based on the individual's needs which have been identified in their assessment, each person is allocated a personal budget to arrange their care with. The personal budget is the money available for their care.
To ensure a person receives the care they need, a support plan will be produced and thoroughly checked. The plan must be lawful, effective and affordable, and meet the needs of the individual, which have been identified in the assessment.
Once the plan is approved, the care is put in place. For example, a personal budget can be used to pay an assistant to help an older person remain in their own home by helping with day-to-day activities, as well as carry out more traditional care tasks.
The council retains its duty of care, safeguarding and risk management responsibilities and other statutory duties.
The pages in the left-hand menu will guide you through the self directed process and provide more detail on the planning process, who can help, and how to manage the money in the personal budget.
