Personalisation in Practice: Supporting Young People with Disabilities through the Transition to Adulthood

This book demonstrates very clearly how the personalisation of support and services work in practice. The authors describe how Jennie, a young person with autism and learning difficulties, was supported through the transition from school to living independently using simple, evidence-based person-centred planning tools. Jennie's story illustrates the importance of quality person-centred reviews, dispels the many myths surrounding Individual Service Funds and personal budgets and demonstrates how families, schools and other agencies can work collaboratively to help young people with disabilities move into adulthood with more choice and control over their lives, and with better life prospects. Practical pointers for readers to apply to their own circumstances are included, and the book contains helpful examples of the key person-centred thinking tools. Anyone involved in supporting children and young people with disabilities as they approach adulthood, including parents and carers, SENCOs, teachers, social workers and service providers, will find this to be essential reading. More generally, it will be an informative resource for those seeking a better understanding of how personalisation and person-centred planning work in practice.

Suzie Franklin is the mother of Jennie, a young woman with autism and learning difficulties. She works in the voluntary sector, helping other families of children and young adults with autism to advocate for themselves and learn about their rights and entitlements. She has run training and parent workshops on a variety of topics related to autism, and is an advocate of person-centred planning. She runs training on person-centred thinking tools to help families, local authorities and other agencies provide better support and services for people with disabilities.

Helen Sanderson is CEO of Helen Sanderson Associates and Director Emeritus of the International Community for Person-Centred Practices. She has been closely involved in the development of person-centred thinking and planning in the UK over the last 15 years, and has written extensively on person-centred thinking, planning, community building and Individual Service Funds. HSA were runners up with Borough Care in the National Dementia Awards 2012 in the innovation category.