Reviewing your support
Once your support is in place, your social worker should check with you how it is going. This is called a review.
A review is about finding out how well your support is working and if anything needs to change.
People can sometimes be worried about reviews, especially if they think their support is going to change.
This page explains how to prepare for a review and where you can get help.
How often will a review happen?
Your social worker should aim to do a review with you at least once a year.
Unfortunately, there are no laws that say how often a review has to happen.
Some people find they have to wait a long time for a review, sometimes even more than a year. Councils are given guidance that says they should aim to do a review at least every year.
You can also request a review if your needs or circumstances change.
Find out more in the article: If your needs change
What does a good review look like?
A review should look at your outcomes. These are the things you agreed are important to you.
Your social worker should talk through your outcomes with you. Your social worker should check if your outcomes are the same or if they have changed.
You should also talk about your current support and if it is helping you meet your outcomes.
Your social worker should also ask you about how much control and responsibility you want to have for arranging your support.
A good review should also involve other people and professionals in your life. It is your choice if you are OK with this and want to do this.
An example of other people to involve in your review could be someone like your doctor. Your doctor may be able to share information about how your health has changed since your last review.
You should be given enough time to prepare for the review.
You should be given a copy of the paperwork about your review to see what has been recorded and agreed.
How can I prepare for a review?
People are sometimes worried about reviews, especially if they think their support is going to change.
It is a good idea to spend some time preparing for your review. You can ask other people who support you to help.
You could think about:
- what is going well?
- how is your support helping you?
- is there anything that is not working?
- is there anything you would like to do differently?
- what has changed for you since the last time you had a review?
What happens after a review?
If your review finds that your support needs to be changed, your social worker should create a new support plan with you.
If your support does not need to change, it will carry on until your next review.
If you are not happy with the way your review went, or any decisions about your review, you can challenge this.
Find out more in the article: How to challenge decisions
Where can I get help with this?
You can have someone with you to support you at a review, like a friend or family member. You can also ask for an Advocate to be there to help put your views across.
It is also a good idea to speak to an Independent Support Organisation. They can help you prepare for a review.
Next steps
You can find details of your local Independent Support Organisation using the Find Help search tool.
Many people are able to have regular, helpful reviews of their support. But we know that some common issues come up for people.
Here is what do to if any of these things happen to you.
I have not had a review in more than a year
Unfortunately, there are no laws that say how often a review has to happen. Councils are given guidance that says they should aim to do a review at least once a year.
Reviews are especially important if your needs or circumstances have changed. If this is the case, explain this when you contact the council to ask for a review.
You can ask for help from an Independent Support Organisation who may be able to speak to the council on your behalf to try to speed up the process.
You can find your local Independent Support Organisation using the Find Help search tool.
My review did not look like the good review described on this page
Unfortunately, we hear that some people’s reviews feel rushed, or focus too much on their budget.
Sometimes it might feel like the review is focused on how much support you get, and not on whether the support is helping you achieve your outcomes.
You can refer to the information in the ‘what should happen’ and ‘what the law says’ sections below. This explains how councils and social workers should manage reviews.
It can be a good idea to speak to an Independent Support Organisation when you are due to have a review. They can often support you with the process.
You can find your local Independent Support Organisation using the Find Help search tool.
I do not agree with the outcome of my review
You can challenge any part of the process you do not agree with.
Find out more about how to challenge decisions in the article: How to challenge decisions
The SDS Standards give guidance to local councils to tell them what they should do when it comes to arranging social care support (Self-directed Support).
These SDS Standards are not laws, but all councils have signed up to them. Councils should work to these standards.
When it comes to reviews, here is what the Standards say:
- Reviews should be based on trust-based relationships and good conversations between you, anyone who helps you, and the person doing the review. (3.1)
- You should be supported to question and challenge decisions throughout your review, including your agreed personal outcomes. (5.4)
- Regular reviews ensure that you are able to achieve your personal outcomes. This process involves reviewing your budget to ensure the amount, and the way it is being used, is enough to meet the outcomes. (12.15)
- You and your family members or carers should have as much involvement as you wish in the way your budget is reviewed. You should have as much help as you need with the process. (12.1)
You can read the full SDS Standards here.
The SDS Statutory Guidance is legal guidance written for local councils to tell them how social care support (Self-directed Support) should work.
It says:
- Reviews should be collaborative and you should be fully involved.
- You should be given enough time to prepare for a review.
- Reviews should focus on your outcomes – these are the things you have agreed are important to you.
- Reviews should focus on whether your support is helping you achieve your outcomes.
- Councils should aim to do a review at least every year.
- Councils should do reviews to help prevent people reaching crisis.
- If you need extra help in a review, your council should give you the option to have someone with you – a friend, family member or Advocate.
- Your council may want to speak to your family members or carers to help them find out if you are managing your support arrangements.
- If you have someone who legally makes some decisions for you (an attorney, guardian or parent), the council will want to discuss your support with them.
You can read the part of the Guidance that says this here.