Self Directed Support (SDS) • June 2016

Self Directed Support Newsletter Issue 3 • June 2016Fife Health & Social Care Partnership - Supporting the people of Fife together

In this edition u Community Marketplace event

u On Your Doorstep

u Small Sparks Project

u Good Conversations Practice Sessions

u Partners in Policymaking

u “We can all do it!”

Julie Paterson Divisional General Manager (Fife-Wide)

Welcome to the third Self Directed Support (SDS) newsletter This month we are highlighting the Community Marketplace event we held at the Rothes Halls in February where we launched a new website called ‘On Your Doorstep’. It was designed to provide information about care providers, groups, clubs and activities available in your local area. We have some excellent examples of the difference self-directed support is making to individuals and families in Fife and have asked some of our service users and families to share their stories about how SDS has helped them.We also feature an interview with one of our social workers who was one of the first to implement SDS and the journey she has been on. She tells us how she had reservations initially but now thinks it is a big step forward for staff as well as service users.Although we still have some way to go before SDS is universally understood and adopted the progress made so far is due to service users, carers, social workers and support organisations all working together. The contribution of the SDS reference group has been important in shaping how SDS is being implemented in Fife. I would encourage everyone to have a look at the ‘On Your Doorstep’ website at www.onyourdoorstepfife.org and find out if there are groups or organisations, on your doorstep, that you could get involved with.

On your Doorstep is a new community website listing many care prioviders, clubs, organisations, groups and activities organised in Fife.Go to:

www.onyourdoorstepfife.org

Self Directed Support (SDS) • June 2016Self Directed Support (SDS) • June 2016

Community Marketplace EventThe Self Directed Support team hosted a Community Marketplace Event on 16th February 2016 at the Rothes Halls in Glenrothes. The aim of the day was to encourage creative ways of thinking about how support can be provided – shifting the focus from funded services, arranged and provided by the local authority, to community resources, personal assets and strengths. The speakers for the morning were Raymond Brennan (Self Directed Support Project Manager, ENABLE), Julie Paterson (Divisional General Manager, Health and Social Care Partnership), Lisa Curtice (Programme Manager, Health and Social Care Alliance), Linda McLean (Health and Social Care Alliance), Cormac Russell (Nurture Development), and Alexander Warren (AJP Dreams).

• The key themes for the event were: • identifying individuals’ personal assets and

capabilities, • belonging to your community, • putting people at the heart and engaging in

meaningful conversations to identify what matters,

• the community should be for everyone to use• to challenge when told “you can’t” and being

supported to dream

Suit and Pace and Speak Your Mind (two local drama companies) added humour and entertainment by delivering two short dramas with the strong message that everyone has a valued contribution to make. As a unique finale to the morning, delegates were asked to complete their evaluation forms. Jack Taylor, invited guest, then showed everyone how to make a paper airplane with them. All of the completed evaluations were then launched towards the stage.

Good Conversations Practice SessionsAt the heart of Self Directed Support is a different conversation between staff and individuals using services which maximise their choice, control and flexibility. To support this, staff have been taking part in practice development sessions facilitated by the Learning Team from the Thistle Foundation called ‘Good Conversations’. The ‘Good Conversations’ sessions are aimed at Health and Social Care staff who have a general understanding of the personal outcomes approach and are either involved directly in having outcomes focused conversations with people they support or who have responsibility for supporting or training staff. The course runs over 3 days and supports staff to develop some specific conversational skills with a focus on personal outcomes and asset based approaches. The sessions cover any issues which delegates may have faced when having conversations which focus on identifying personal outcomes and uses this information to target specific points. This helps to provide better insight into the Good Conversations process. Here are a couple of examples of feedback from people on the course:“I have a greater understanding of what is involved in using Good Conversations from attending the course. I feel I am more confident in using the techniques learned. I have been able to use some of the techniques with noticeable effect”“I believe that the more people learn about the good conversation techniques the better it will be for both the professional and the service user. I see it as the way forward in the provision of services”.

Small Sparks ProjectSmall Sparks is a tried and tested small grants programme that helps people to do new and exciting things in their community. The SDS Team have linked up with ‘In Control Scotland’ to bring Small Sparks to Fife. The project will run initially in East Fife and is open to anyone in the community who wants to participate.To join you need 3 or more people from your local community to plan a new and imaginative project that will connect people together, especially people who haven’t been involved in community groups or activities before. Funds of £50- £250 will be available to support each project. A simple application form will be submitted to a panel who will meet monthly to consider each application. Participating projects will come together in a celebration event to share their stories. The hope is that some of the projects will be sustainable in the longer term and will go on to create opportunities for local people to make a contribution to their local community. If you would like to know more about Small Sparks or have an idea for a small community project please contact:Gerry Goldie, Local Area Co-ordinator on 03451 555 555 extension 444829 or email Geraldine.Goldie@fife.gov.uk

Join the Small Sparks Community!

To keep a lasting reminder of the morning, the speakers and dramas were captured in both film and graphics by Colin McQuillen from Fife Film Crew (www.FifeFilmCrew.work) and Albi Taylor, Graphic Facilitator. The community Marketplace Event took place in the afternoon. Over 70 community groups and support providers from across Fife were invited to showcase their organisations. They had been identified through the community mapping project that has been taking place throughout Fife. The feedback from both the morning delegates and the afternoon stallholders was very positive. Many thanks to all who contributed to the success of the day!For a more information www.onyourdoorstepfife.org

Illustration by Graham Ogilvie

Here is some of the feedback we received: “I enjoyed all of the events. The speakers were inspirational and brought me to tears with their stories. The drama helped me to make the story real.”

“I was interested to hear all the speakers and listen to their stories, presentations and views. The idea of looking at people as citizens and what they can give to their communities is great. I hope it takes off.”

Self Directed Support (SDS) • June 2016Self Directed Support (SDS) • June 2016

Ken and Janice Blair

‘On Your Doorstep’ is a community website listing many of the care providers, clubs, organisations, groups and activities available in Fife. The website has been created as a useful source of information about opportunities available in communities across Fife and how you can get involved.The information for the website was gathered from local citizens who participated in community mapping sessions across Fife. They identified groups, organisations, places and activities that they value. The website is divided into 6 themes of information: • Advice and Information• Healthy Living• Things to do around Fife• Care and Support• Mobility and Travel• Self Directed SupportA year-long marketing campaign is underway to spread the word about the website. It is hoped that it will be a useful signposting and connecting tool for local citizens, individuals who require care and support, family carers, practitioners, care providers, support workers, health staff and others. Local groups, clubs and organisations are invited to register on the website and will be able to keep their own information up to date.If you would like to know more about ‘On Your Doorstep’ go to www.onyourdoorstepfife.org.

“We Can All Do It”Our “We Can All Do It” project will help people with learning disabilities, their families and carers get more out of life. We assist people to think about what matters most to them. We can help individuals, their families and carers through the SDS Pathway in a range of ways from preparing for initial contact with social work to help with the assessment and support planning process. To help people understand the options within SDS, we share a variety of stories and examples from across Scotland, to help each individual to get a sense of what each option means.Whether someone is eligible for a budget or not, we will continue to offer our support to help think of creative ways that each person can do the things that are important to them.We will be looking for help from people in Fife who care about their community to make it an even better place to stay.We are excited about using drama through Forum theatre as one approach to help raise awareness of the values and principles of Self Directed Support. Watch out for our Project popping up across Fife and if you see us come along and have a chat. You can contact us by email at: sdsfife@enable.org.uk or Telephone on: 01592 659295

Ken and Janice Blair have been using Direct Payments for 12 years. Over this time they have been able to arrange Ken’s care and support to meet his outcomes. This is helping them to enjoy life and make the most of the opportunities they have.They love travel so Ken’s fitness is important for getting about. He has regular physiotherapy and alternative therapies to help build his strength and maintain his flexibility.Ken attends a stroke club once a week which gives him independence and the chance to enjoy the company of others. Ken previously employed his own Personal Assistants and now employs a care agency using SDS option 1. Ken’s carer Ray is employed directly by the care provider who makes all the necessary arrangements.

Ray and Ken get on very well. When he and Ken are doing jobs around the house and garden like planting potatoes and doing some DIY, Janice has a chance to go shopping and visit family. Now and again Ray stays overnight with Ken, giving Janice some respite and a chance to go on short breaks with a friend.Ken said: “I enjoy Ray’s company and when he stays over his cooked breakfasts are a special treat.”Janice said: “Ray is a very experienced carer and is now more of a friend than someone we employ. SDS is a wonderful system that allows us the freedom to do what we want, plus helping to sustain and maintain Ken’s health and well-being.”

Self Directed Support (SDS) • June 2016Self Directed Support (SDS) • June 2016

Q. What were your initial hopes and fears when you first heard about the introduction of self-directed support?A. When I first heard about SDS I was aware that Direct Payments was a broadly successful scheme so was confident that aspects of SDS would be positive. However I was quite apprehensive about the amount of paperwork that might be generated.

Q. What is different about SDS from the point of view of the individuals and families whom you have been supporting?A. When I first started using the SDS system it took a while to change my way of thinking. The old system tended to focus on the service user’s needs and what they couldn’t manage to do. With SDS it’s a different approach - you find out what the service user would like to achieve and think creatively about how they can

be supported to do it. Service users and their families are now closely involved in identifying and arranging care that can be flexible and fits the life they want to live.

Q. What have the challenges been and how have you overcome these?A. The paperwork was difficult at first but I was part of a practitioner group set up to test and develop it. It took some time but now I feel we have a paperwork system that flows well and I’m confident that everything can be covered during the assessment. The SDS approach has meant our thinking has had to change and adapt. People still have to meet the eligibility criteria and the money available to cover their support is the same but the way we discuss how their support is managed and delivered is very different.

Q. What support and training did you receive to get your head around the outcomes approach, the 4 options and the new assessment and planning process?A. I received several days training and have had a lot of individual guidance and advice from the SDS team. I was also a member of a SDS practitioners group where we could share information and issues and come up with solutions. One of the best experiences was going on the ‘Good Conversations’ training which has really helped shape my discussion with families and service users. I really support the ethos that people are expert in their own lives and we are there to help find solutions.

Q. How do you feel 18 months down the road?A. I feel the job is more like how I envisioned it would be when I first qualified because I am working in partnership with the families to find the best ways of helping the service users achieve their own goals and outcomes. It’s really positive that service users and their families are involved from the beginning and while I have my social work training and skills I’m no longer the ‘expert’ and ‘fixer’. I see the assessment as a conversation, a shared discussion exploring options together with service users and families and encouraging them to have their own ideas. I’m working with people who are the experts in their own lives.

Interview with Betty Watson Social Worker in the Adults East 2 team Gail and Mirren Lark

Mirren Lark is twelve and has complex needs – she can’t walk and talk and needs 24 hour care. She is pump-fed through the night to supplement what she eats during the day. Her mum Gail and dad Steven can’t manage this level of care themselves so they have a team of three people who come in to help them.They work in pairs and come every day in the late afternoon and evening to help wash and get Mirren ready for bed and set up her overnight feed. Two mornings a week they come to help get her up and dressed and into her chair ready for school.Gail says: “It’s all about making Mirren comfortable and the care staff are experienced and really good with her. I’m very lucky with all the help I get. Everyone is so good and will always go the extra mile. It is great knowing that Mirren is very happy.

‘Although Mirren can’t talk she clearly loves people and enjoys having the carers come in. It’s important that she spends time with other people. The carers are part of her family. I don’t know where I would be without them.Mirren also attends Calaiswood School and this is great for her too. They have a swimming pool with lights and lots of ways of stimulating her and helping her to make her own choices. The staff are amazing and I can see they love what they do.Managing all Mirren’s care by myself would be too much for me but I have an accountant who handles the wages and gives me good advice. This takes a huge load off my mind.Since my husband has also developed a serious health problem I am more dependent than ever on the support I get. The way it can be arranged so flexibly is really wonderful.”

Self Directed Support (SDS) • June 2016

You can also find out more about SDS in Scotland by visiting the Scottish Government’s Self Directed Support Scotland website www.selfdirectedsupportscotland.org.uk

Further InformationFor information about Self Directed Support in Fife:

Language lines

03451 55 55 77

03451 55 55 99

03451 55 55 88Polskojezyczna linia telefoniczna: 03451 55 55 44

03451 55 55 66

Online www.fifedirect.org.uk/SDS

Phone the Social Work Contact Centre 03451 55 15 03

BSL Translation SMS service 07781 480185

BT Text Direct 18001 01383 441177 (9am to 5pm)

Alternative Formats To request information in large print, braille, audio CD/tape and BSL interpretation call 03451 555500

Partners in Policymaking‘Partners in Policymaking’ is an internationally recognised leadership development programme for parents of disabled children (up to the age of 18) and disabled adults. The programme is designed for parents and adults who:• think that life for disabled children and adults

could be better• want to improve the way things are now, but

don’t know where to startThe programme is being delivered by In Control Scotland with core funding provided by the Scottish Government. Some people who apply to be on the programme will already be members of groups and organisations who are working for change, while others may be new to this. However, by the end of the programme it is expected that all participants will be better able to contribute to the successful implementation of self-directed support.There are only 40 places available and people living anywhere in Scotland are entitled to apply. Following the closing date a selection process will be held to decide on the final participants. There is no cost to participants attending the programme. The next programme begins on 30th September

2016 and all participants are required to attend eight sessions over a Friday and Saturday each month from September 2016 until May 2017. Many previous participants have said that the programme has been life changing!For more details on the Partners in Policymaking programme, visit the website or contact June Dunlop at In Control Scotland.Tel: 0141 440 5250Email: june.d@in-controlscotland.org.ukwww.in-controlscotland.org