A comparative approach to evaluating individual planning for people with learning disabilities: Challenging the assumptions

Individual planning in services for people with learning disabilities is used on the assumption that it encourages service users across a range of abilities to make important decisions about their fives. Although recent studies have questioned the value and effectiveness of such processes, the principles underlying the practice of individual planning are rarely challenged This paper considers important aspects of individual planning in London, comparing a system based on the principles of normalisation with a situation-specific, family-orientated system operating in Milan, Italy. Key factors such as the role of professionals and the involvement of service users are considered with the aims of the process. The intention of the paper is to stimulate debate in an area of practice by questioning its assumptions.