VITAL Convention Report

From Service Solution to Person Centred Outcomes – PowerPoint Keynote Presentation (VITAL convention 2015)

Charlotte Sweeney – Helen Sanderson Associates

Developing Outcomes – 8 step process

Step 1 – Check – Do we know what matters? Do we know about their future aspirations?
Step 2 – Now – What is working not working around: language learning and development/learning skills and moving towards employment, home and independence, health and wellbeing, friends, relationships and community. Viewed from different perspectives.
Step 3 – Prioritise.
Step 4 – Success – What would success look like if we were to address the not working ad move towards aspirations?
Step 5 Test it – Is it an outcome? (not an embedded solution), Does it change what is not working or build o what is working? Does it take the young person closer to their aspirations? Do we know what is important to the person about this issue?
Step 6 What’s stopping you? What is getting in the way (or stopping this from happening now?
Step 7 – Action Create clear targets and SMART actions for the outcome. Assign resources.
Step 8 – Record – Record in the EHC plan and review.

Repeat for each outcome

Step 1 – Check – Do we know what matters? Do we know about their future aspirations?

“The quality of our lives depends on the presence or absence of things that are important to us.” Michael Smull, International learning community for Person centred practices.

Health and safety can dictate "for"
All choice and no responsibility "to."

Important to

What is important to a person includes only what people are “saying”:

-with their words

-with their behaviour

When words and behaviour are in conflict, listen to the behaviour.

Important for

How best to support … to be healthy and safe

What others need to know or do …

This includes only those things that we need to be mindful of regarding issues of health or safety.

What does this mean?

Just because something is important to you, doesn’t mean you are going to get it, and just because it is important for you doesn’t mean we do it to you. – we have to work out where the balance is and how we can accommodate it.

Important to Charlotte

To have time with my family, Terry, Nina, Cam and Freya.
A well made cup of tea every day, especially first thing in the morning.
To enjoy, play with and walk Lola our dog
Having a job that helps me to feel like I am making a difference.
Having time in the garden, growing things and keeping chickens.
Time with friends, going out for meals, meeting up as families.
Having a tidy house, without teenage stuff everywhere and clean kitchen surfaces.
Catching up with Lisa for coffee/shopping and a gossip.
To always have a book on the go, I am in a book club and will try most things.

Important for Charlotte

That we keep on top of the washing and tidying at home, I hate coming home to a tip and it means I can’t relax.
To wear sensible flat shoes, ideally fitflop ones with good arch support.
To eat less sugar and cake, to keep middle aged creep under control.
To get some regular exercise, not keen but feel soooo much better for it when I do.
Visit the Chiropractor when I feel the need.

What others like and admire about me

Integrity, creativity, full of energy, insightful thinker, and practical problem solver.

Important to me (Charlotte)

To be well informed about what is going on within HAS and the wider world. I thrive on knowing the bigger picture and where I can fit in, how I can contribute.
That the work we do feels “real” that it makes a difference to people’s lives in a practical and accessible way.
I do like my tech and social media and I need to have the gadgets around me working such as Satnav, an ipad and a mobile phone where selected people can get hold of me quickly.
That people feel I am trusted and reliable member of the team. I hate it if I feel I have let people down.
To have regular conversations and team meetings (monthly) to share creative ideas.
To not spend my whole life on emails, but get some “real” work done also.
To feel like I have made a positive worthwhile contribution within my work.
I love that “buzzy" feeling of spending time training or sharing learning with a group of enthusiastic people or speaking with someone inspirational.
I absolutely love spring and summer time and get huge satisfaction from being outside and gardening. Spending time in my vegetable patch, greenhouse or with my chickens is one of my most contended places to be.
I value exercise and being fit and the extra energy it gives me. I don’t particularly enjoy it but walking the dog (not in the rain) or walking to school for pick up and I do enjoy flamenco dancing (exercise disguised as fun).
To do things that involves learning something new. This is great if it also means I spend time doing it with friends and like minded people eg learning French with friends or co developing a new course. I often get passionate and sometimes a little obsessed by my new interests.

How best to support me (Charlotte)

If you want me to remember something, emails work better for me than phone calls. Follow up emails with what we have agreed help.

I am not great with writing down lots of information, my ears stop working, while I am writing. Let me catch up if I am writing while we are talking.
I have a very logical, succinct brain. If I don’t give you enough detail, please tell me. My natural inclination is to be spontaneous and I know this does not work for everyone.
If there is too much going on, too much noise and distraction, I get easily put off track and become less clear and articulate. Better catch me at a quieter moment.
Tell me if I am not giving you the support you need, tell me straight, it’s better than finding out later or from someone else.
I always work from the assumption that people are well-intentioned; please assume the same of me.
Know that I am not great at calling people first, please do call if you need to and I will tell you if it isn’t convenient.
Don’t be surprised if you call and I am I the garden, I go there to clear my head and do some of my best thinking and problem solving pulling weeds.
My natural inclination is always to put everyone else’s priorities before my own. Know that I will be more contented as a person if I can balance out doing things I love with things that I need to do.

What is important to me (Jennie)

Jennie’s iPod and iPad available and working at all times.

Having leaflets and straws to hand and collecting them.
Having butterfly kisses and hugs when Jennie initiates.
To be listened to and have people respond to what Jennie says.
To have treats and ice cream when out and about.
Not to be rushed, go at Jennie’s pace.
Having her own space when she needs it.
Jennie’s things being left where she leaves them, and not being moved.
Spending time with family at weekends, and sometimes for tea in the evening.
Knowing when she will see her staff team.
Being in control of what happens in her flat and Jen choosing what she does.
Visiting places like Chester zoo, museums, theatre trips, cinema, the seaside, farms etc t least once a week.
Being active most days by going for walks in the countryside, zumba, horseriding, aquafit and trampoliing
Time to be creative at her flat every week. Time to make pottery and decorate it.
Spending time with her friends Rhian and Laura and eating out with them each month.

How best to support Jennie

To have healthy snacks around for Jennie to have, and to support her with portion sizes.
A visual timetable so Jennie can see what is happening now and next.
For people around Jennie to know and understand, and respond to her communication.
Having time on her own, and for staff to listen and check that Jen is OK.
Visual communiation (gestures – eg showing car keys).
If unsure whether to speak – say nothing.
If you need to say something important to Jen say “good listening” or “look at your name.”

What those that know Jennie say they like and admire about her

Great sense of humour, affectionate, honest, creative, determined, great fun to be with.

What Jennie’s Mum says

Having one-page profiles has enabled Jennie to truly be in control of her own life. Decisions are Jennie led, not service, organisation or support worker led!

One page profiles – Alfie

What we love about Alfie

Full of life, always caring, makes us laugh, loves everything, always happy.

What is important to Alifie

Having his family around him.
He is very tactile and loves giving and receiving. cuddles and kisses.
Alfie loves all of his toys and the Wii.
Alfie loves the garden and the trampoline.
Alfie loves two Jaffa Cake Bars in a bowl.
He loves to sing, dance, listen, the music, watch TV especially Imagination Movers, The Fresh Beat Band, Bookaboo, Doodle Bops, Tom and Jerry and Good Luck Charlie.
Alfie enjoys looking at Flash cards and reading books together.
Alifie responds well to praise, clapping, high five, cheering and thumbs up.

How best to support Alfie.

Give him time to express himself through singing.
check that he understands what you are saying.
give him lots of encouragement and motivation.
make things fun, talk to him at his level – making eye contact.
make sure he is change regularly and taken to the toilet.
Alfie can have a very limited attention span, so be flexible.
Alfie needs constantly to be reminded to share and take turns.
Alfie can push, hit out or throw things, he needs space and will sign sorry.
Alfie needs to be accountable for his actions, remove him from the situation and explain right and wrong.
Aflie needs total supervision when crossing the road, hold his hand and explain to him what is happening around him. Windows needs to be locked as Alfie likes to throw or dangle things out of them.
Gates need to be locked as Elfie will run off.
He also likes to climb or tries to try to escape.
Alife can get upset at laughter as he thinks it is directed at him; make sure that he is aware that either he has done something funny, by re-enacting using props or use Alice to help explain.
Alfie loves trying to copy actions and facial reactions, encourage him to copy e.g. putting toys away.
Alfie needs total supervision in the kitchen as he can climb up on the work surfaces; reach for knives, hot saucepans plats etc.
Alfie needs assisting up and down stairs, he also thrown himself or tries to leap from the stairs.
Alife appears to feel very little pain, so needs checking over fully if he has fallen over or taken a tumble.

What Alfie’s Mum says

Now I know for sure that when I entrust the care of my children with someone, especially with Alfie, as he cannot talk, they can easily refer to the one-page profile and as such will be following my beliefs, wishes and respecting me as a parent and person, as well as respecting Alfie.

Six questions for developing Person Centred Support

Who are the most important people in your life?
What would be your best and worst day?
What do you usually do during the weekday evenings?
What makes you feel better when you are stressed, unhappy or upset?
What would you never leave home without in your bag or pockets?
What would your family or best friend say they love or admire about you?

Discovering Future Aspirations

Are young children/young people telling you about their aspirations?
If not, how are you going to find out?
If they are, what are you doing to support them?

Cameron

Outcomes next year or two

To get some interesting work experience with entrepreneurs in business, and/or in politics.

Action plan – first steps

Contact David about work experience this summer.
Research places that are positive about ‘neurodiverse’ employees.
Find a debating group/young person’s political group.

What sort of person do I want to be in the future

Respected for being an ideas man.

What I want to DO in the future

Not sure- must be well paid, creative; use my talents, business, sales.

What people Iike and admire about me – my gifts and talents

Creative
Articulate
Ambitious

What’s important to me

Good food, steak, chocolate
Chilling at weekends
Great conversations, politics, ideas, debates

Perfect week table

With children and young people create a table with the days of the week, divide into morning, afternoon and evening, and ask them what their perfect week would look like.

Person centred approaches

Has the child at the centre, in partnership with their family, friends and schools.
A means of giving and sharing control, joint contributions from the child, parents and professionals.
Provides a forum to negotiate conflict and come up with creative solutions together.
Builds on children's’ gifts, recognising strengths
A way of people who care about and support the child learning together.
Considers what is important to the child as well as what is important for them.

“In developing person centred support we need to be sure we are focused on helping people get great lives and not just better paper” Michael Smull

Contacts

twitter - @HSAUK
thinkandplan.com