End of year message 2021

2021 has seen a significant shift in future planning and consultation, in a time of crisis overshadowed by the ongoing pandemic.

I am immensely grateful to and proud of the efforts that our members and representatives of the Independent Living Movement made in contributing to a solution-focused approach to strategic issues such as the administration of the £500 COVID bonus to Personal Assistants. This was achieved by working in partnership with all relevant parties as allies to arrive at a point where almost 5000 people were reached and supported to access these funds.  The subsequent outcome of this and the Independent Review of Adult Social Care has been to bring attention to PAs and to the future of Self-directed Support, through the inception of a Programme Board to explore how to best support this hitherto undervalued component of Scotland’s social care workforce, which has already made significant moves in identifying the outcomes for this work.

As we look to the future, we are currently building on existing resources developed this year, developing an online PA Handbook, in addition to other supports focused on recruitment, retention, training and support for citizenship, based on social needs rather than a deficit model approach.

I would like to thank our members who continue to support people, for their collective and individual efforts to working through ongoing and increasing challenges in partnership to support tangible solutions for people exercising choice and control in directing their own support. The team at SDS Scotland and I appreciate your ongoing efforts and collaboration and hope you all have a happy and safe festive break.

Donald Macleod
Chief Executive, SDSS