A Workshop on Understanding the Person Centred Support Approach

In August a Workforce Development Officer from Leicester City Council came to Savera Resource Centre to give a presentation to service users, carers and our staff members on "Person Centred Support".

What does Person Centred Support Mean?

It is about putting the person rather than the service at the centre. It is about equipping service users with choice and control through building a good relationship with staff and ensuring that service users are listened to and provided with the information that they need to make those choices and take control.

The Person Centred Support approach has found that staff time and availability is key to providing the support that is required.

What Barriers do Service Users Face?

Service users often face barriers such as risk and regulation, culture and language and they often become institutionalized and isolated.

What Can Person Centre Support do about these Barriers?

A positive approach where service users are kept involved both as an individual and collectively in groups with people they can trust.

Each person needs to be worked with individually with their own needs, strengths, weaknesses and choices kept in mind.

Person Centre Approach - Key Principles

• The person is at the centre
• Family members and friends are partners in the planning
• The plan reflects what is important to the person, their capacities and what support they require
• The plan results in actions that are about life, not just services, and reflect what is possible, not just what is available
• The plan results in ongoing listening, learning and further action

For more information on Person Centred Support contact Suresh Mistry (Workforce Development Officer) at Leicester City Council.