Overview
Assessment Guidance
Individual: a person accessing care and support. The individual, or individuals,
will normally refer to the person or people that the learner is providing care and
support for.
Others: others may include: team members, other colleagues, those who use or
commission their own health or social care services, families, carers and
advocates.
History, preferences, wishes, strengths and needs: these may be based on
experiences, desires, values, beliefs or culture and may change over time.
Active participation: a way of working that recognises an individual’s right to
participate in the activities and relationships of everyday life as independently as
possible; the individual is regarded as an active partner in their own care or
support, rather than a passive recipient.
Person centred values: including individuality, rights, choice, privacy,
independence, dignity, respect, partnership
Strength-based approaches: also referred to as ‘asset-based approaches’.
This approach focuses on individuals’ strengths, resources and what they are able
to do themselves to keep well and maintain independence.
Use of care plans: a care plan may be known by other names e.g. support plan,
individual plan. It is the document where day to day requirements and preferences
for care and support are detailed. Learners should consider how they use care
plans when providing person centred care, but importantly should consider how
care plans are used to create and enable person centred care. They should
consider how the individuals’ needs, wishes and preferences are included and
reflected in the care plan. They should consider who should be involved in
creating a care plan (the individual and those important to them, as well as
professionals) and how the care plan is reviewed to ensure it continues to reflect
the individual’s aspirations.
Other resources: these might include, but are not limited to:
▪ one-page profiles
▪ advanced care plans
▪ assessments from other organisations
▪ information from other people important to the individual.
Planning for their futures: this might include, but is not limited to:
▪ living arrangements
▪ health and wellbeing
▪ relationships
▪ education or employment
▪ end of life care
Relationships: learners should consider the range of relationships important to
individuals they are supporting. Consideration should go beyond immediate family
and next of kin, and may include partners/spouses, extended family, friends, pets, neighbours, people in the community and other professionals. Learners should
consider intimacy, sexuality and sexual relationships.
Aim
The aim of the unit is to ensure that the learner understands how to work in a person-centred way and the importance of meeting individual needs based on their history, preferences, wishes and strengths.