Self-directed support: improvement plan 2023 to 2027

Outcomes and how the Plan is organised

This Plan, drawing from the Change Map which underpinned the previous Plan and the findings from our consultation, recognises that there are four main outcome areas reflecting where improvements in how SDS is delivered most need to be made. These are:

1. supported person and carer’s choice over their support, where success means access to information, advice and advocacy, access to quality support, and control and involvement for supported people over how it is delivered.

2. enhanced worker skills, practice and autonomy, where success means workers across all aspects of social care support are better able to practice in line with SDS values and with statutory duties (where applicable), standards, skills, and knowledge.

3. systems and culture, where success means national and local SDS system and planning design is more person-centred and person-led, including through involving supported people and carers.

4. leaders understand and help staff realise SDS principles and values, where success means duty-bearers and senior staff supporting their workforce and creating the culture and conditions for supported people to have choice and control over their social care support.

In the previous SDS Implementation Plan, ‘leaders and systems’ was the first area of focus, while ‘supported people’s choice and control over their support’ was listed last.

In this new Plan, the order has been reversed to recognise that supported people and carers are at the centre of SDS and that improved choice for supported people and carers is what all other elements of the plan aim to help achieve. Leaders and systems have also been separated into different areas to recognise that these need separate attention, reflecting the importance placed by recent literature[6] on the connection between leadership and systems and how these interact to have an impact on choice and flexibility.

Alongside these four main outcome areas, a number of themes have been identified, with activities under each theme. These describe areas of work that need focused attention to improve SDS. The table of themes and activities is intended to be as simple as possible, although it is recognised that some activities will contribute to more than one theme or outcome.