Self-directed Support : my support, my choice: your guide to social care

Introduction

Who is this guide for?

This guide can help you if you are getting social care support or if you are thinking of getting support.

This may be because you are a disabled person or because you have other support needs, like a mental health problem. Or it might be because you are an older person who could use some extra support to keep your independence.

This guide will also be useful if you are a relative or friend of someone who has support needs. If you are a carer you will also want to read another guide in this series - 'Self-directed Support: a guide for carers'.

If you work with people who have support needs you might also find this guide helpful. However you will also want to read 'Self-directed Support: practitioner guidance'.

How to use this guide

This guide contains a lot of information about getting the support that is right for you. It does this by describing the step-by-step journey from first asking about support to having all your arrangements in place.

If you are seeking support for the first time you might want to read the whole guide. If you already receive support you might only want to read certain sections of the guide.

Getting help from others

Many people find it hard to take in a lot of information on their own. You might find it helpful to read this guide with someone you trust who can offer you support and encouragement as you go through it.

This might be a relative, friend or carer, a practitioner, an advocate or someone you know from a care agency or support organisation.