Self-Directed Support Strategy for Children, Young People and Families 2025 - 2030
Perth and Kinross Council · 4 February 2026
Back to Learning and Families Committee — 4 February 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Some pages contain no extractable text. They may be blank, graphics or scanned pages. OCR has not been applied.
Page 1
Our vision is a Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequalities ___________________________________________________________________ Committee or Board: Learning and Families Committee Date of Meeting: 4 February 2026 Report Title: Self-Directed Support Strategy for Children, Young People and Families 2025 - 2030 Report Number: 26/32 Report Authors: Sheila Wilson, Operational Manager; Sharon Cooper, Senior Service Manager (FBSCommittee@pkc.gov.uk) Organisational Lead: Arun Singh, Strategic Lead – Children, Families and Justice ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Purpose 1.1 This report seeks approval for the refreshed Self-directed Support (SDS) Strategy 2025 - 2030 for Children and Families Social Work (Appendix 1). The Strategy outlines the legislative background, the key issues in relation to SDS, and the delivery plan for SDS over the next 5 years. This follows on from the SDS Strategy 2021 - 2024, which outlined the core SDS principles, priorities and strategic plan over that period. 1.2 Perth and Kinross Council remain committed to increasing the choice and control that children, young people and families have when receiving social care support. The Strategy supports this ethos and aims to further embed the personalisation agenda to promote meaningful paricipation with children, young people and their families. 1.3 Sections 1. Purpose 2. Recommendation 3. Background/Main Issues 4. Current Situation and Recent Issues 5. Proposals 6. SDS Strategy for Children, Young People and Families 2025 - 2030 7. Conclusion 8. Impact and Value Assessment 9. Appendices
Page 2
2. Recommendation It is recommended that the Committee: 2.1 Approves the refreshed SDS Strategy for Children, Young People and Families 2025 - 2030. 3. Background/Main Issues 3.1 Implementation of SDS has been ongoing since 2010, following the introduction of the National SDS Strategy 2010-2020 which was a joint Scottish Government and COSLA 10-year plan. The Scottish Government introduced the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013, which came into force on 1 April 2014. This Act places a duty on local authorities to offer people who are eligible, following assessment, a range of choices over how they receive their SDS. 3.2 The Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 reinforces the commitment that people have a right to direct their own social care support and that they should be involved in all decisions about their care. The Act places emphasis on local authorities to be transparent in their planning and promotes that families and individuals can determine the type of support they need. 3.3 The provision of SDS reinforces the principles that underpin work with children in need and their families under Section 22 and Section 23 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995. Principally, this ensures the promotion of participation and dignity, meaningful involvement and the ability to make decisions about support services. SDS can be described as the range of support a person is able to purchase or arrange to meet assessed and agreed personal health/social care outcomes. 3.4 In July 2019, the Scottish Government launched the Self-directed support strategy 2010-2020: implementation plan 2019-2021, the aim of which was to promote a culture of choice and control, empower people, strengthen leadership and support workforce development, drive systemic change and ensure accountability for continuous improvement. 3.5 In 2022, the Scottish Government updated the SDS statutory guidance which clarified that SDS is for everyone who is assessed as having a social care need in Scotland. The guidance also emphasised the need for local authorities to promote a rights-based delivery of care ensuring dignity, choice and community participation. In addition, the guidance reinforces the duty of the local authority to offer all options impartially and explain these clearly (see section 4.1 below for further details). 3.6 In June 2023, the Scottish Government published the Self-directed support: improvement plan 2023 to 2027 which sets out the priorities for work to improve the delivery of SDS in Scotland. These priorities underpin our new SDS Strategy 2025 - 2030 (see section 6.2 below for further details).
Page 3
3.7 In May 2024, the twelve standards of practice in SDS (initially published in 2021 as part of the Scottish Governments SDS Framework of Standards) were updated. These Standards outline the need for early help, family support and community support, which aligns with The Promise recommendations for early intervention and accessible family support. These Standards promote a strengths-based approach, building on existing strengths in a child, young person and families’ network. The twelve standards encourage creativity, transparency, accountability and equity of service provision to combat discrimination. 4. Current Situation and Recent Issues 4.1 SDS can be provided in different ways to suit the person and family’s needs. These options are set out on the SDS Scotland website. The four options available when receiving SDS are: Option 1 – Allocated funds taken as a direct payment (a cash payment). Option 2 – Allocated funds are given to the provider that the supported person chooses. Option 3 – The Council can arrange and provide a service for the supported person. Option 4 – The supported person can choose a mix of these options for different types of support. 4.2 Whilst the concept of offering choice in care and self-determination, in relation to service provision, is at the heart of SDS principles, this is dependent on the variety of resource provision available and its capacity. From the commencement of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 through to the current date, the availability of service of provision for respite and personal care for children, young people and their families has vastly reduced. Due to this, demand often outweighs supply, and many children, young people and their families have not been able to access the level of SDS package that they are assessed as needing. At times, this has required families and workers to think creatively about how SDS is provided. 4.3 In line with The Promise, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) principles, and the twelve SDS standards, a consultation with parents/carers took place in February 2025 (Appendix 2) to establish where the gaps were and to ascertain the main issues with parent/carers accessing their SDS. The findings from this consultation are forming the basis of future service provision, and this is being progressed with support and guidance from In-Control Scotland who are a small Scottish charity that focuses on improving the social care system, by making SDS more accessible and addressing inequalities for people with support needs in a way that prioritises their rights.
Page 4
5. Proposals 5.1 In-Control Scotland have provided support to embed SDS within current practice and to develop a Resource Allocation System (RAS) to ensure equity of service provision when making decisions about the provision of support and services using SDS. It is proposed that this work continues, and a RAS system is introduced to provide guidance and clarity for workers and people who access SDS. 5.2 In line with providing clear information, easy read documents and child-friendly versions of all leaflets and paperwork in relation to SDS will be produced. 5.3 There will be a focus on SDS training across Children and Families Social Work and this will include involvement in national SDS events and communities of practice. In addition, SDS will be on the agenda for social work students and the Newly Qualified Social Worker forum to upskill workers in relation to SDS. 5.4 Consultation with children, young people parents and carers, in relation to SDS, will continue to ensure that their voices are represented and heard. This will include direct consultation, as well as questionnaires and audits. 5.5 Procurement of services to meet the needs of a supported person will be based on consultations with children, young people, parents and carers. This aims to ensure that early help is provided when it is needed. 6. SDS Strategy for Children, Young People and Families 2025 - 2030 6.1 This Strategy builds upon the previous SDS Strategy 2021 - 2024 and aims to promote increased choice and control over how eligible children, young people and families are supported to meet their identified needs. 6.2 The Strategy is based around the twelve standards for practice which are linked to the four improvement areas identified within the Scottish Government’s SDS Improvement Plan 2023 – 2027. These are: Supported person and carer’s choice over their support. Enhanced worker skills, practice and autonomy. Systems and culture. Leaders understand and help staff realise SDS principles and values. The Perth and Kinross SDS Delivery Plan 2025 – 2030, included and detailed within the Strategy (Appendix 1), sets out the actions that will be taken to deliver on the identified areas for improvement. 6.3 Work has been undertaken with In-Control Scotland in relation to the development of the Strategy, and good practice examples from other local authority areas have also been shared. In addition, In-Control Scotland has assisted with the SDS consultation process to ensure that consultation is as
Page 5
inclusive and far-reaching as possible. Support and guidance from In-Control Scotland will be ongoing in relation to the outcomes of the Strategy. 6.4 This Strategy aims to work with people eligible for SDS to have more choice and control over the support they receive. This will be done by ensuring workers are skilled and knowledgeable so they can involve children, young people, parents and carers in creative SDS conversations. The Strategy has been developed in an easy read version to ensure that it can be accessed more easily by all. 6.5 This Strategy aims to improve outcomes for children, young people and families eligible for SDS by providing the support identified by them at the right time to prevent crisis. 6.6 Community involvement and partnership working with other universal and third sector services is essential for building capacity to meet need. Opportunities for procuring and developing services that will make a difference to children, young people and their family’s lives will be reviewed and explored throughout the life of this Strategy. 7. Conclusion 7.1 This SDS Strategy provides a framework of how children, young people and families can be supported in Perth and Kinross to take control and make choices about how their assessed needs can be met. The Strategy promotes the rights of the child and is compliant with the UNCRC and The Promise. 7.2 The Strategy intends to improve transparency and consistency, by encouraging choice and control for those assessed as in need of support, to help them to achieve their goals and life potential. 8. Impact and Value Assessment 8.1 The Impact Value Assessment (IVA) undertaken in relation to this report can be viewed on the Perth and Kinross Council website via the link: SDS Strategy 2025-2030 8.2 The Equality and Fairness Impact Assessment (EFIA) undertaken in relation to this report can be viewed in the Equality and Fairness Impact Assessments area of the Perth and Kinross Council website. 9. Appendices 9.1 Appendix 1 – Children, Families and Justice SDS Strategy 2025 - 2030 9.2 Appendix 2 – SDS Consultation
Page 6
No embedded text on this page.