The Scottish Government has launched a 10 year strategy that aims to give individuals and families more control over the social care and support that they receive. It “aims to set out and drive a cultural shift around the delivery of support that views people as equal citizens with rights and responsibilities”. The Self-directed Support strategy seeks to ensure as many people as possible have informed choice with regard to social care.

Points made include:

“Community planning partnerships have a clear strategic role in delivering the level of change required to support the growth of self-directed support. Communities can develop the use of social capital, including through disabled people’s organisations, so that people can meet their needs with the most appropriate recourse to statutory services.”

Test sites in Glasgow, Dumfries and Galloway and Highland have each been given £1.2 million funding. This will be used to encourage the uptake of self-directed support.