Overview of PCP approaches

What approaches can be used?

The umbrella of PCP encompasses a range of approaches:

• Essential Lifestyle Planning
• PATHS – Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope
• MAPS
• Personal Futures Planning
• Individual Service Planning
• Transitional Planning

All vary slightly in their techniques, but share some common features:

• Planning builds the person's circle of support and involves all the people who are important in that person's life
• The plan focuses on helping the individual to be included within a community
• The individuals gifts and talents are celebrated
• The plan reflects what the individual aspires to, rather than what the system can currently accommodate
• The plan is owned by the person, and can be transferred from one setting to another
• The plan is flexible and able to be changed and developed
• A trained and experienced PCP facilitator is required

The rationale behind PCP is to move away from systems whereby people with disabilities were forced to have their lives planned by others, and were largely not given any choice as to how their lives were played out – they had to fit into existing models of provision. The idea of PCP is that it gives, or returns, control and choice to the individual, so that the person can choose to live the life they want, enjoying the same aspects of choice that non-disabled people enjoy, such as choosing where and how they live, what they do in their leisure time and who they mix with.

Person Centred Planning and Transition to Adulthood for young people with Autism  

Among the obvious advantages of such a system in regard to planning for adult life for those with severe Autism is that they can establish routines and maintain them, and attempt greater continuity of staff. Additionally, if they find it difficult to live with other people they should be able to live alone.