Self Directed Support

What is self directed support?

Self-Directed Support is a model of care that keeps the disabled person at the centre of decision making. It is a focused and intentional practice centred on the person living out hopes, dreams, and goals. The disabled person is the leader or co-manager of his or her supports to live a good life. Enabling this model is a social care budget or funding by the HSE that gives a disabled person control over managing their support. Some other names for funding support are: Personalised Budget, Individualised Budget, Direct Payment or User Centred Funding. Funding may be professionally monitored through a Disability service, professionally assisted through a broker (AT Network or Dara Community Living) or selfdirected through the setting up of a company around the individual.

For further understanding of self directed support internationally, please refer to the Self-Directed Support Network Click here

A human rights based way to fund and organise support

User-centred funding models put the person with care and support needs at the centre of the model. Individuals are free to choose and receive the type of support they need. These models also help people to have more freedom, citizenship, and access to their human rights, in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). The UNCRPD is an internationally agreed document among States which sets out the rights of people with disabilities. Some of the key principles promoted and protected by the Convention are:

Respect of inherent dignity
Self-determination and individual autonomy
Non-discrimination
Equality of opportunity
Full and effective participation and inclusion in the society
Accessibility

Article 19 Highlights the right of a person to live independently in their community and underpins appropriate supports and accommodations.

Article 25 Names the right of the person to have enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health without discrimination on the basis of disability.

Article 26 States people with disabilities have the right to attain and maintain maximum independence, full physical, mental, social and vocational ability and full inclusion and participation in all aspects of life.

Advantages of self-directed support

Individuals have more choice and control over the type of care they wish to receive and the life they want to live
Services are more tailored to the needs of the users
Individuals experience major improvements in their general health, well-being and personal dignity
Services are fully integrated in the community and accessible by all
Professionals are more satisfied with their jobs because they see the positive impact they have on the quality of life of persons with care and support needs

Personal budgets funding systems represent a reform of the traditional funding model for social care and support services, including long-term care services. In traditional models, public funding goes from the public authorities directly to the service providers, who then provide the relevant services to persons with care and support needs. However, in this way, individuals have limited choice and control over the type of services they want to receive. This also means that these systems are not able to guarantee the respect of the Human Rights principles.

For example:

The right to receive support
The right to freedom, choice and control
The right to contribute to the community
The right to leisure, arts and sport

Personalised budgets and demonstration project in Ireland

2011 – The introduction of Individual Budgets as a resource allocation system for disability services in Ireland. National Disability Authority research that contributed to the Government’s decision to examine the area of personalised budgets for disabled people.
The Introduction of Individual Budgets as a Resource Allocation System for Disability Services in Ireland – National Disability Authority

2012 – Transition to Personal Budgets for People with Disabilities: A review of practice in specified jurisdictions’ National Disability Authority review of Personalised Budgets in other countries – UK, US, Canada, Australia and the Netherlands.
Transition to Personal Budgets for People with Disabilities: A Review of Practice in Specified Jurisdictions: Report – National Disability Authority

2017 – Research into the implementation of Resource Allocation Models, National Disability Authority report on allocation models.
Research into the implementation of Resource Allocation Models: SQ – National Disability Authority

2016 – 2018 – Towards Personalised Budgets for people with a disability in Ireland – report of the task force on personalised budgets department of health taskforce on Personalised Budgets recommended that a number of models of Personalised Budgets be trialled through demonstration projects.
gov.ie – Task Force on Personalised Budgets

Plain English: Towards Personalised Budgets for People with a Disability in Ireland

Easy read Personalised Budgets task force report on disability services.
PowerPoint Presentation

Screen reader friendly version Towards Personalised Budgets for people with a disability in Ireland report of the task force on Personalised Budgets.

2019 – Present HSE Personal Budget Demonstration Project, National Disability Authority summary.
National Disability Authority – National Disability Authority

2021 Independent Living Movement of Ireland Position Paper on the HSE Personalised Budgets Demonstration Models.
ILMI Position paper on the progress of Personalised Budgets Demonstration models

2024 – 2026 Disability Action Plan.
gov.ie – Action Plan for Disability Services 2024 – 2026

2024 Disability (Personalised Budgets) Bill 2024
Disability (Personalised Budgets) Bill 2024 – No. 89 of 2024 – Houses of the Oireachtas