‘I felt I was in control of the meeting’: facilitating planning with adults with an intellectual disability

Accessible summary • Personal plans can help things happen. • The person decides what goes in the plan and who helps them make it. Plans must be written in a way the person can understand. • The facilitators must listen carefully and make sure other people listen as well. • The person has a shared responsibility in making the plan happen. • The researchers will give ideas on how facilitation can be improved so that what the person wants is in their plan. Summary This purpose of this study was to examine the perspectives of adults with an intellectual disability, their family, caregivers and/or advocates and key staff on a newly introduced approach to the facilitation of personal plans. Prior to this study, the organisation had concentrated more on the process of personal planning rather than on the facilitation of the process. The organisation had introduced a 2-day training programme to enhance the facilitation of personal plans. The newly introduced and independently facilitated training programme focussed on being person-centred, deep listening, group dynamics and the provision of information in accessible formats. The literature on person-centred planning espouses that people must be given every opportunity to be part of the decision-making that impacts on their lives. The planning process, if well facilitated, provides opportunity for people to be actively involved decision-making based on their aspirations.