Self-directed Support Library

Use this section on The Hub to find out about Self-directed Support (SDS), Scotland’s mainstream approach to social care delivery.

Here you will find a selection of resources that explain what SDS is, the Standards for good SDS, people’s stories, assessment and support planning tools as well as resources to influence commissioning and procurement practice to make SDS truly mainstream across Scotland.

Search Tips

You may find it helpful to search using the drop down "topics" box.  You can select a topic field by checking the box.  It is best to select just one topic at a time.  You must uncheck or de-select the topic box each time otherwise you will not get accurate results.

Two heads, talking to each other, one is thinking of "my life, the way i want it".
Topics
  • About SDS
  • Addictions
  • Adults and Incapacity
  • Adults and older people
  • Archived Resources
    ?
    Close × A collection of resources that reflect and record the early years of SDS implementation.
  • Assessment and Support Planning
    ?
    Close × Includes resources to support practitioners to understand how to have good conversations and meet personal outcomes.
  • Autism
  • Black and Minority Ethnic People
  • Blind or Partially Sighted
  • Carers Assessment and Support Planning
  • Children and Families
  • Commissioning Approaches for Option 2
  • Community Based Support
  • Contingency Planning
  • Deaf or Hearing Impairment
  • Dementia
  • Easy Read
  • Eligibility and Resource Allocation
  • Employing Family Members
  • Financial Management Guidance
    ?
    Close × Guidance on the financial management of SDS for finance staff.
  • Flexible and Outcome Focused Commissioning and Procurement
    ?
    Close × SDS Standard 7 - People and commissioners work together to plan, design and quality-assure flexible local supports, to ensure that people have choice and control over what matters to them.
  • Good Conversations
  • Housing and Homelessness
  • Independent Support and Advocacy
    ?
    Close × SDS Standard 1 - People are offered independent advice, support and advocacy to have choice and control over their social care and support and to exercise their human rights. Includes details of SIRD organisations that are funded to provide support and challenge decisions.
  • Learning Disabilities
  • Lived Experience
    ?
    Close × Personal stories of how people have used SDS.
  • Mental Health and Wellbeing
  • PA Employers
    ?
    Close × Information to support people who are considering employing a Personal Assistant, including how to guides and experiences of people employing PA's.
  • Personal Assistants
    ?
    Close × Information to support Personal Assistants in their role, including how to become a Personal Assistant.
  • Pilot schemes
    ?
    Close × Reports of pilots that have trialled an SDS approach.
  • Relationship Based Practice
  • Respite Care and Short Breaks
  • Review of support arrangements
  • Risk Enablement and Management
    ?
    Close × SDS Standard 6 - Workers and supported people work together to plan for positive risk enablement whilst balancing the responsibility of statutory protection of children, young people, adults and carers.
  • Rural Communities
  • SDS Implementation Data Recording
    ?
    Close × SDS Standard 4 - Meaningful and measurable recording practices
  • SDS Legislation and Implementation Plans
  • SDS Standards
  • SDS Values and Principles
  • SIRD projects
    ?
    Close × Support in the Right Direction (SIRD) Scottish Government funded projects managed by Inspiring Scotland.
  • Strength and Asset Based Approaches
    ?
    Close × SDS Standard 3 - Assessment, support planning and review systems and processes are personalised, recognising people’s strengths, assets and existing community supports, and result in agreed personal outcomes.
  • Transitions
    ?
    Close × SDS Standard 10 - People are given the help and support they need to plan for, and adjust to, new phases of their lives.
  • Transparency and Consistency of Practice
    ?
    Close × SDS Standard 9 and 11 - Practice, systems and processes are clearly understood and are explained in ways that make sense to the person. People can expect a consistently high-quality experience of practice regardless of Local Authority area.
  • Workforce development - training
    ?
    Close × Includes toolkits, e-learning and guidance documents for practitioners.
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SDS Standard 13: Direct payments for employing Personal Assistants image

Authors
Social Work Scotland

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SDS Standard 13: Direct payments for employing Personal Assistants

Date
28/05/2025

Category
Self-directed Support Library

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Personal Assistants Programme Board Research image
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Personal Assistants Programme Board Research

Date
13/01/2025

Category
Research, Self-directed Support Library

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A collection of links to research which is relevant for Personal Assistants.

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Self-directed Support Learning and Improvement Framework (SDS LIF) and supporting resources image

Authors
Social Work Scotland

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Self-directed Support Learning and Improvement Framework (SDS LIF) and supporting resources

Date
01/10/2024

Category
Self Evaluation Tools, Self-directed Support Library

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The Self-directed Support Learning and Improvement Framework offers practical guidance, tools and resources to facilitate continuous improvement and sustainable change.

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Self-directed Support (SDS) Improvement Plan – Lived Experience Facilitation Pack image

Authors
The Alliance

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Self-directed Support (SDS) Improvement Plan – Lived Experience Facilitation Pack

Date
26/08/2024

Category
Self-directed Support Library

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Self-directed Support (SDS) Improvement Plan – Lived Experience Facilitation Pack An ALLIANCE Toolkit for Scottish Government

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Self-directed Support Seminars (online videos on relevant topics) image

Authors
Social Work Scotland

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Self-directed Support Seminars (online videos on relevant topics)

Date
06/06/2024

Category
Self-directed Support Library

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The Self-directed Support project team at Social Work Scotland have hosted semi-regular online seminars on various topics which are relevant to Self-directed Support. Here is a list of the seminars, clicking the title of each seminar will take you to a video recording of the semi...

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Self-Directed Support Framework of Standards (2024) image

Authors
Social Work Scotland

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Self-Directed Support Framework of Standards (2024)

Date
17/05/2024

Category
Self-directed Support Library

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The Self-Directed Support Framework of Standards consists of a set of standards (including practice statements and core components) written specifically for local authorities to provide them with an overarching structure, aligned to legislation and statutory guidance, for further...

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Supporting People to Live a Good Life in Highland (Reflections on Practice) image

Authors
Social Work Scotland

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Supporting People to Live a Good Life in Highland (Reflections on Practice)

Date
01/05/2024

Category
Self Evaluation Tools, Self-directed Support Library

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A reflection on Self-evaluation and improvement in SDS, in Highland.

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Flexible Use of Direct Payments Across Scotland (Reflections on Practice) image

Authors
Social Work Scotland

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Flexible Use of Direct Payments Across Scotland (Reflections on Practice)

Date
01/05/2024

Category
Self-directed Support Library

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Examples of meeting personal outcomes creatively through flexible use of Self-directed Support options, particularly Direct Payments (Option 1).

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Revising the Self-directed Support Framework of Standards (Reflections on Practice) image

Authors
Social Work Scotland

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Revising the Self-directed Support Framework of Standards (Reflections on Practice)

Date
01/05/2024

Category
Self-directed Support Library

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A review of the Self-directed Support Framework of Standards took place in 2023, adopting equalities and island communities impact approaches and engaging in extensive consultation with key stakeholders.

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Fife Community Support Service Reviews (Reflections on Practice) image

Authors
Social Work Scotland

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Fife Community Support Service Reviews (Reflections on Practice)

Date
01/05/2024

Category
Self-directed Support Library

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A review of Fife's approach to Community Support Services following the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Overnight Short Breaks in Fife (Reflections on Practice) image

Authors
Social Work Scotland

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Overnight Short Breaks in Fife (Reflections on Practice)

Date
01/05/2024

Category
Self-directed Support Library

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A reflection on the Short Breaks service in Fife.

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Accessible information on Self-directed Support – lived experience research report image

Authors
Scottish Sensory Hub

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Accessible information on Self-directed Support – lived experience research report

Date
24/04/2024

Category
Self-directed Support Library

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The ALLIANCE (Scottish Sensory Hub) has published a report on people's experiences of accessible information around Self-directed Support and social care.

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Reflections on Practice - Self-directed Support (SDS) image

Authors
Social Work Scotland

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Reflections on Practice - Self-directed Support (SDS)

Date
31/03/2024

Category
Self-directed Support Library

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The SDS Handbook - Self-directed Support Scotland (SDSS) image

Authors
Self-directed Support Scotland (SDSS)

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The SDS Handbook - Self-directed Support Scotland (SDSS)

Date
31/03/2024

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Your complete guide to accessing care and support in Scotland

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The Personal Assistant (PA) Handbook - Self-directed Support Scotland (SDSS) image

Authors
Self-directed Support Scotland (SDSS)

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The Personal Assistant (PA) Handbook - Self-directed Support Scotland (SDSS)

Date
31/03/2024

Category
Self-directed Support Library

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The guide for people who are or are thinking of becoming a Personal Assistant.

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Self-directed Support Practitioner Toolkit - Helpful Practice Resources image

Authors
Social Work Scotland

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Self-directed Support Practitioner Toolkit - Helpful Practice Resources

Date
29/03/2024

Category
Self-directed Support Library

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This toolkit is for Social Work Practitioners. Designed in collaboration with our stakeholders the Toolkit aims to connect you with practice resources located in The Self-directed Support (SDS) Library to support relationship-based practice and Self-directed Support implementatio...

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Self-Directed Support For Service Providers image

Authors
Citizen Network

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Self-Directed Support For Service Providers

Date
04/01/2024

Category
Self-directed Support Library

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This report on Self-Directed Support in Europe sets out strategies for service providers to work in partnership with people with disabilities and their families. Authors: Simon Duffy, John Dalrymple and Nic Crosby This short report was prepared by three researchers who have als...

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My SDS - A Self Directed Support Toolkit image

Authors
Penumbra

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My SDS - A Self Directed Support Toolkit

Date
10/05/2023

Category
Self-directed Support Library

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This toolkit is designed to inform and help you explore funded care and support through your council, and other supports in Scotland. (8 pages, PDF file)

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Children and Young People Self-directed Support (SDS) factsheet image

Authors
Self Directed Support Scotland

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Children and Young People Self-directed Support (SDS) factsheet

Date
05/01/2023

Category
Self-directed Support Library

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A fact sheet for parents introducing Self-directed Support (SDS) for Children and Young People. (four pages, PDF file)

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Self-directed Support (SDS) for Adults - factsheet for Health and Social Care Professionals image

Authors
Self Directed Support Scotland

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Self-directed Support (SDS) for Adults - factsheet for Health and Social Care Professionals

Date
05/01/2023

Category
Self-directed Support Library

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A factsheet for Health and Social Care professionals about Self-directed Support (SDS) for Adults. (four pages, PDF file)

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Self-Directed Support (SDS) Factsheet for the Voluntary Sector image

Authors
Self Directed Support Scotland

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Self-Directed Support (SDS) Factsheet for the Voluntary Sector

Date
05/01/2023

Category
Self-directed Support Library

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A factsheet for the voluntary sector regarding Self-directed Support (SDS) for Adults. (four pages, PDF file)

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  • …

Key self-directed support websites

Local authority social care support

Find links to local authorities to see how social care support is being delivered across Scotland through self-directed support.

Find out more