Self-Directed Support aims to improve the impact that care and support have on people’s lives by helping them choose and control what type of social care services they get, when and where they get them and most importantly, who provides them.

There are four options on how you use your SDS budget:

Option 1 - Direct Payments: You receive a direct payment from the local council based on the agreed budget and you manage your support plan. Bluebird Care can deliver your support plan via this direct payment method.

Option 2 - Individual Service Fund: You choose who will deliver your support plan the local council pay the Provider direct and the Provider manages the service on your behalf. Again, we can work this way.

Option 3 - Social Work deliver your Support Plan Social Work arrange and manage your support plan and care needs, with their local council employees or through a 3rd party approved provider.

Option 4 – A mix of the options above to help create flexible solutions for different types of support. 

How to access SDS from Social Work Services

Step 1 – Initial Contact: You need to make the first contact with a Social Worker. We can help you with this

Step 2 – Assessment and Indicative SDS Budget: A Social Worker will make an assessment of your individual needs and whether these needs are eligible for support. The assessment will produce a “Points Total” which is turned into a Budget, that you can choose how to spend.

Step 3 – Formation of the Support Plan: Social workers have the responsibility of agreeing on an individual’s support plan.

Step 4 – Agreement of the Support Plan: Once everything is agreed upon, you should receive a copy of your care plan. This will identify how your agreed outcomes will be met and how your budget should be used. 

Step 5 - Review the Support Plan: Your Social Worker will agree with you on a programme for review, going forwards.

How can Bluebird Care Edinburgh help?

Within the framework outlined above, we can help you to design and deliver a package of support that meets your stated needs and chosen outcomes. Our confident team will work with you to ensure your Budget will be used in the right way, as chosen by you.