Self-directed support is the way that social care should be arranged and delivered in Scotland. It gives people choice and control over their care and support, empowering them to be equal partners in decisions about their care and to participate fully in all aspects of life. The Support in the Right Direction (SiRD) programme provides local independent support, information, advice and advocacy around self-directed support, in line with Scottish Government’s Self-Directed Support Improvement Plan 2023-27.
The purpose of independent support is to help people and their carers make informed decisions and plans for their social care and maximise their choice and control over those arrangements using self-directed support options. With expertise in self-directed support legislation and a good knowledge of local resources, independent support organisations work with people at every stage of their social care journey. They take a person-centred approach and respond flexibly to individual circumstances, supporting all social care user groups and unpaid carers. This support includes help to understand the social care system and self-directed support, help to prepare for and participate in social care assessments, and help to plan and manage support. Independent support plays an important part in the delivery of social care and without it, many social care users and carers would struggle to access the support they need and make use of it in the way they would like.
The aim of SiRD is to ensure that people who use social care have access to independent support, advice and advocacy, wherever they live in Scotland. 33 organisations are being funded from 1 April 2024 until March 2027 by Scottish Government through the SiRD programme, with at least one organisation delivering services in each local authority area in Scotland.
Inspiring Scotland is the Fund Manager for the SiRD programme and works with funded services to provide support ranging from strategic engagement to sharing learning and relationship building through peer networking.
This builds on a previous round of SiRD funding which was in place from October 2018 to March 2024.
The latest progress update from the previous round of SiRD funding that ended in March 2024 is available. This report is based on work delivered by SIRD funded organisations from April 2023 to September 2023.
Read the report
Find out more about the different ways Self-directed Support can work and what services are available.
More information
Advocacy Orkney provides the local community with self-directed support advocacy services, enabling people to participate fully in social care assessments and make informed decisions about their options and rights. This includes supporting people who are assessed as ineligible for formal social care support and unpaid carers. People are also supported to increase their confidence and
Learn MoreCapability Scotland provides advice and support in Dumfries and Galloway on self-directed support and social care. This includes support to recruit PAs and any ongoing support required, maintaining a database of PAs seeking employment, advising employers on indemnity cover, providing support with direct payments awards and raising awareness of self-directed support in the community.
Learn MoreDisabled Person’s Housing Service Fife provides a self-directed support service called SDS Options (Fife) offering information, advice and guidance to all social care users and practitioners in Fife at any stage of accessing social care. This includes help to understand the process, options and eligibility criteria; prepare for and take part in an assessment; connect
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33 third sector organisations across Scotland are to be funded through Support in the Right Direction (SiRD), to provide independent support, information, advice and advocacy to people using social care and their carers. Starting on 1 April 2024, funded services will receive a share of up to £9.2 million funding from Scottish Government across three
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We are pleased to share our Annual Report 22/23 providing an overview of the work undertaken to deliver on our strategic priorities and mission to improve the lives of people across Scotland. We supported over 700 organisations across 16 funding programmes worth over £50m. As well as new funding opportunities being created, nine of our
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At Inspiring Scotland, we are very aware of the pressure that the increased cost-of living is having on people and the funded charities we support. Throughout Autumn 2022 our fund teams gathered and shared information from portfolio partners about: How concerned they are about cost-of-living crisis for people they support, their organisations, their staff and
Read MoreThe Support in the Right Direction (SiRD) programme provides local independent support, advice and advocacy in line with the Scottish Government’s vision for Self-directed Support. Independent support is integral to social care and without it, many care users and carers would struggle to access the support they need and make use of it in the
Read More Inspiring Scotland’s Annual Report 22/23 provides an overview of the work undertaken to deliver on strategic priorities and mission to improve the lives of people across Scotland. In the period we supported over 700 organisations across 16 funding programmes worth over £50m. As well as new funding opportunities being created, nine of programmes provided vital
Read MoreThe Support in the Right Direction (SiRD) programme provides local independent support, advice and advocacy in line with the Scottish Government’s vision for Self-directed Support. Independent support is integral to social care and without it, care users and carers would struggle to access the support they need and make use of it in the way
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Ashley is passionate about the ability of the voluntary sector to have a real impact and improve people’s lives. She has spent more than 15 years working in the voluntary sector specialising in grant funding and brings a wealth of knowledge of fund management and development, project management, and assessment. Ashley believes in continuous improvement....
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Anna has extensive experience in 3rd sector roles including supporting families and individuals through the most challenging times of their lives. Understanding that people are at the heart of 3rd sector services, Anna has completed an MSc in Forensic Psychology with a focus on the impact of imprisonment on families. While collecting data for her....
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For all enquiries about Support in the Right Direction, please contact sirdenquiries@inspiringscotland.org.uk
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