Promoting human rights or increasing expectations? Effects of Self-Directed Support on the realisation of human rights in Scotland

Abstract This research investigated Scottish practitioners’ reflections on how local Self-Directed Support (SDS) implementations have affected the realisation of human rights. The findings indicate that SDS increased service users’ awareness of their rights but often in rather abstract ways, with service users (and practitioners) not getting information about SDS-related systems, processes, and procedures needed to make informed choices that support their human rights. The practitioners participating in this study found SDS systems and processes overcomplicated and struggled with accessing information needed for guiding service users. Although there is evidence that some processes are gradually becoming simpler, a focus on controlling resources has created a gap between the human-right-based ethos of SDS and its local implementations, reducing the ability of SDS to promote human rights and, according to some practitioners, just increasing service users’ expectations. This gap might be further widened by insufficient engagement with independent support and advocacy organisations. Points of interests: This article looks at whether Self-Directed Support in Scotland has achieved its aims to promote the rights of people with disabilities. Self-Directed Support is legislation that aims to promote human rights, such as dignity and self-determination, by giving people with disabilities more choice and control over the care they receive. Many practical obstacles make this challenging. This study found that people with disabilities have become more aware of their rights in general, but this often has not translated into getting care in a way that promotes their human rights. This study found that limited resources have meant in practice that local social work departments have focused on how to control their spending on meeting the needs of people with disabilities. This often has meant that the rights of people with disabilities have received less attention and have been neglected.