Why it is important to work in a way that promotes person-centred values when providing support to individuals

If you work in a person-centred way it results in people building their confidence, self-esteem and skills, acquiring new ones and regaining those they have lost through ill health or personal circumstances. It enables people to have maximum control over decisions that affect them and their own lives. Person-centred planning enables us to work in an organised person-centred way.

If you promote something it means you actively and openly shown commitment to it and encourage and support other people to do it. Promoting person-centred values means ensuring that you explain what they mean to all parties involved

The Importance of ‘Doing it with them’ rather than ‘Doing it for them’

Supporting someone means doing something in an enabling way and not taking over where the person is willing and able to do it for them self. For example, enabling someone to cook a meal by assisting them in a way they choose and involving them in cooking it as far as they are able. (Doing it with them rather than doing it for them in accordance with their wishes).

‘Doing it with them’ means:

• assisting people with the areas in which they need support in an enabling way which is acceptable to them. This maintains the level of independence they have and enables them to build on their existing skills to gain further independence as far as possible.

‘Doing it for them’ means:

• not giving them space to do what they can for themselves.
• imposing ways of doing things on people
• not providing or supporting them with opportunities to learn new skills

Why Person-Centred Planning is Important

• It shifts power from professionals to the people who receive services
• Assessors work with people and those who know them best to discover what people want, the support they need and how they can get it.
• It is work practice that assists people in leading an independent and inclusive life.
• Person-centred planning is……empowering….and a set of tools for change, for a person, a team and at an organisational level.

“…understanding what is important to someone – and then finding out and acting in a way that is exactly how they what to be supported – can make a huge difference to their life…”

Personalisation through person centred planning, Department of Health, March 2010

Use to answer question 5.1b of the Care Certificate