Social care - self-directed support: framework of standards - May 2024

Standard 3: Strengths- and asset-based assessment, planning and review

Standard descriptor: Trust-based relationships and good conversations between workers and people are at the heart of assessment, planning and review. Outcomes are agreed on the basis of what matters to the person or in achieving a child and young person's potential.

Practice statement: Assessment, planning and review systems and processes are personalised, recognising people’s strengths, assets and talents, family and natural networks and existing community supports, resulting in agreed outcomes that meet their human rights.

Core Components and practice guidance

3.1 People’s strengths, assets and talents, human rights, existing networks and community supports are recognised and included in a child or young person’s plan, adult support plan, young carer’s statement or adult carer’s support plan.

How to:

• Communication is inclusive and accessible, and addresses any communication barriers.
• Relationship-based practice is at the heart of the assessment, planning and reviewing processes.
• The assessment process involves conversations combined with good practice tools, GIRFEC wellbeing indicators (SHANARRI), or other national or locally defined outcome conversational aides-memoir.
• There are a range of plans which reflect a child or adult’s circumstances. This includes a child or young person’s plan for when children are in need, require protection measures or are looked after. It also refers to a support plan, young carer’s statement or adult carer’s support plan.

3.2 What matters to a child, young person, family, supported person or carer is central to co-producing outcomes which are developed in the plan.

How to:

• It is important that people know that they have a plan and that they have ownership of their plan, and are able to access or to have a copy of their plan.
• Good conversations should take place regardless of whether there is a budget. This is achieved through working together and relationship-based practice, and being honest about the challenges and difficult decisions throughout. This also includes consideration of how the person can access local community supports, natural networks, technology, aids and adaptations which may support achieving the outcomes identified in the plan.
• Processes involved in accessing Self-directed Support should be as clear and straight forward as possible to ensure that the person remains at the centre of planning.

3.3 When a child or adult is assessed as requiring an intervention or additional paid-for support then this must build on, protect and support existing networks and arrangements.

How to:

• Intervention or additional paid-for support must be designed to flex around or support existing natural networks and arrangements including their community supports, technology, aids and adaptations.

3.4 The Self-directed Support options are considered and explored with children, young people, families, supported people and carers. Decisions taken are based on how much choice and control a person or carer wants to have over their arrangements.

How to:

• An assessment and the identification of resources are all part of the same process, which should start with conversations and discussions with children, young people, families, supported people and carers. Where a budget is required to meet outcomes, this should result in the offer of four Self-directed Support options.
• Whichever Self-directed Support option is chosen, the person should have choice and control about how decisions are taken forward, including what support, who will support and when support is provided.
• Where it is not practicable and/or appropriate due to a person’s individual circumstances to offer all four Self-directed Support options, an explanation must be given to the person and must be recorded.

3.5 Regular reviews ensure that people continue to be able to achieve their personal outcomes.

How to:

• All children, young people, families, supported people and carers are entitled to reviews regardless of their circumstances.
• Like assessment, reviews are about good conversations, and help children, young people, families, supported people and carers to reflect on their experiences, and to consider whether support is achieving what is intended.
• This process involves reviewing their budget to ensure the amount, and the way it is being used, is adequate to meet agreed outcomes.
• Reviews should ensure that where a person is using a budget to employ Personal Assistants that they have an adequate budget to be a good employer, that they have access to support to do this, and that the arrangements are working well.
• Local areas should clarify the frequency of regular reviews in the local context, and the process should be overseen to ensure that it keeps the person at the centre. A review should not focus on reducing the budget amount.