Involving people with intellectual disabilities in individual service planning: A 'pathways' approach

The drive towards providing person-centred services has led to research that attempts to evaluate the extent to which individuals are involved in planning their own services. Studies have shown that using one planning process format for individuals across the spectrum of disability can exclude those with higher support needs. The present paper describes a service evaluation which led to the development of a ‘working party’ approach to planning. Three recognized planning processes or ‘pathways’ provided an initial framework. A small group of supporters was then identified to work together with the individual to ensure that different perspectives on how support could be provided were combined effectively. Creativity and flexibility ensured that the process is as person-led as possible, even when supporting individuals with profound and multiple disabilities. The initial results from the implementation of the ‘pathways’ model are discussed in the context of continuous evaluation, further development and acknowledging the importance of service-wide commitment to the objectives of the model.