Discovering Self Directed Support

Care providers throughout the Highlands are being invited to attend an event in Inverness highlighting a new flexible way of providing Social Care Services which puts the person receiving care more in control.

Self Directed Support is a pilot project currently being run by The Highland Council's Social Work service and funded with the Scottish Government. The free one day seminars running on 13th and 14th September at Inverness Town House will provide delegates with information about the future trends in personalised care. It will also give participants the chance to hear from service users and their families about the impact Self Directed Support has had on their lives.

Guest speakers will include Donna Thompson, Head of Personalisation at Enable Scotland, Jamie Hanson, Regional Co-ordinator of the UK's National Brokerage Network and Bette Francis from the Scottish Governments' Self Directed Support team.

Under Self Directed Support the money normally spent on supporting people for things such as activities, respite care and personal care will go straight to the service users so they can control how their allocated Individual Budget can be best used to achieve their agreed outcomes.

The Scottish Government and The Highland Council have agreed you can be considered eligible for a Self Directed Support Package, and given priority for inclusion, if:

*You are assessed as being eligible for a social work service
(per the Fair Access to Care Policy); and / or

*Your quality of life can be improved by the achievement of
clear outcomes within identified timeframes; and

*You are in the transition age group of 16-19 years and have
been assessed as vulnerable; or

*You are a patient in Invergordon Hospital or the Royal Northern
Infirmary and could be discharged earlier with access to self directed
support.

Chairman of The Highland Council's Housing and Social Work Committee, Councillor Margaret Davidson will be welcoming delegates to the information days. She said: "Self Directed Support enables people to choose services to suit and improve their lifestyles. For it to work effectively it is important that individuals have access to a full range of community support including community groups, social workers, support brokers, family, friends and neighbours, service providers, employers and organisations for disabled people. When changes in care provision are introduced, it is crucial that everyone involved can gain the necessary skills and confidence to implement the changes. These two information events are important as they will bring care providers from
across the region together to learn about best practise, hear from guest speakers who have experience of Self Directed Support, and share experiences so we are all in a position to positively move forward."

The events on Monday 13 and Tuesday 14 September run from 10am to 4pm and are free to attend but places must be booked in advance by contacting Melanie Newdick from Lean and Green Events on 0843 2899306 or logging onto www.creatingcontrol.eventbrite.com