Self-directed approaches: Changing lives?
Choices, choices, choices – everyone has choices! So do the concepts of “disability” and choice go together? Is the ability to steer one’s life in the direction one wants still a foreign concept to people with disabilities – maybe for some, but not for other people with disabilities and their families?
In recent years people with disabilities and their families have been able to obtain disability supports (mainly in the form of attendant support and some equipment). This gave people with disabilities and families some assistance with daily tasks and community activities. But of course, there were also some “restrictions and rules” that may have impinged on peoples’ choices on how they used their disability supports.
There are people with disabilities and their families who wanted to take more control of their disability supports totally. Then there are others who weren’t happy with the provision of their disability supports but, for whatever reason, were unable to take over their disability supports. Then there are others who felt they had some control through negotiations with their service co-ordinators, case managers and whomever they could get on their side.
So now we have the concept of “self-directed approaches” (by self directed approaches I mean self directed planning , funding and supports). Will this bring the concepts of “disability and choice” closer together?
Michelle Harmer from Melbourne City Mission informed me about her recent project around self directed approaches. This project came about because of research that was undertaken a few years ago by a project worker at MCM. The project outcome outlined the need for knowledge and skill development for people with disabilities, families and supporters to be able to take on self directed approaches.
Michelle’s project was about researching what skills and knowledge people with disabilities and their families needed and wanted to be able to take on self directed approaches. The link to her report is www.cmag.org.au/about/projects/Regional-Planning-Framework-Project.html
This report is a very interesting read. The project was undertaken in the north-west region and it was a consultation of people with disabilities, families and supporters on their fears and reluctance towards taking on self directed approaches on the one hand, but on the other hand the willingness and desire to be more responsible for and in control of their disability supports. For example, lack of knowledge of what available supports there are in one’s local area and to be able to incorporate these into one’s plan. Also there is some inconsistency in the information available and what is said by some planners.
I realise that not all people with disabilities may wish to take on self directed approaches. There are also those who have taken self directed approaches on successfully and talk about how it has given them more control in their lives. For instance, some people have said they now control the times they want for their shifts and who works for them.
But for some people with disabilities, families and supporters who are in two minds about taking it on due to a “fear and reluctance’” , maybe it is not solely about “gaining knowledge and skills”, but maybe it is also about us coming to the realisation, that we, people with disabilities (and our families and supporters) do have choices, choices, choices to make and we need to reinforce this in our minds daily.
