Derbyshire County Council's Homecare Service provides support to around 4,700 service users across its seven areas and includes all service user groups. By the end of September 2009 the Council will have completed a re-ablement project within its Homecare Service to provide a more person centred package of support. All new referals for Homecare are now part of this process.

In April 2008 NCC published their vision and intention for the delivery of brokerage to respond to the changing way in which social services would be delivered in the future. The underlying principle of this vision was for individuals to be at the centre of the decision making regarding the future support they needed, the tools to enable choice, control and empowerment.

The ideas of choice, control, participation and empowerment are key parts of personalisation and they have their origins in the social model of disability, an important driver for social work practice.

Lincolnshire County Council has adopted a web based decision support solution from ADL SmartCare to help manage the assessment of service users without the need for lengthy and costly home visits. The new process has resulted in a much improved and efficient service to clients and a reduction in costs to the Council.