Person-Centred / Family Review Project

Person-Centred Review Project

Person-centred approach

A Person-centred approach is coming together as a partnership of family and friends with the person at the centre.

A Review

A person-centred review is designed to support people so they remain at the centre of all decisions about their care and support.

Individual Person Review Vs. Family Review

All too often we are given goals and strategies that are well intentioned but seem like just another onus on families. More often than not, the primary caregiver is carrying the load. A family review walks through the journey with each person contributing their own gifts and vision for the family. Together we create a family vision that is specific to your family and outside supports can wrap around and offer their expertise. This vision will grow with your family and unify the intentions and contributions within your home.

Sit with the forward thinkers

We know that a person-centered review was the best money that we have invested over the years. We originally had a review done for our daughter's grade 3 school year transitioning into grade 4. Now, I want to bring that experience to you and think outside the box, to facilitate a review for your family.

More often than not, we are not talking about person-centered approaches until it’s too late when we require individual support in the early adult years. This approach may seem forward-thinking, so, I encourage you to think about the long-term vision of the person or your family unit. How are you being supported and what small steps can we start today?

Person-centered reviews are not limited to the disability community, they are actually well-intentioned for anyone wanting to take a deeper dive into what their vision of support can look like. Whether we gather together around an individual or for a family vision, we are investing in your future together. I can't wait!

What is a Person-Centred Review?

A Person-Centred Review uses person-centred thinking tools to explore what is happening from the person’s perspective and from other people’s perspectives. This results in outcomes and actions for person-centred change, and ensures that a range of people are involved when the review is happening, and that their views and ideas are recorded in a structured, step-by-step way.

-Helen Sanderson

My vision of Family Reviews:

I believe a family is a holistic, layered and complex unit consisting of different personalities and skill sets. I find it hard to find something that supports as a whole in all that we are as a family. With my education, more than 15 years of teaching experience, and my own family values of connection and relationship, I know I am the right person to hold space for you.

As a mom, I often feel like we have many layers to us and can easily get caught up and overwhelmed in the day-to-day. As well, I tend to be the primary caregiver that schedules and attends all the meetings and appointments for our 3 children. Our oldest child (12 years) has Complex Communication Needs and that is a whole other level of exhaustion, scheduling and appointments. What happens when I am too tired? Who can I rely on to pick up the slack? Who is inspiring me? Who is validating my mama gut?

And there you have the birth of Family Reviews.

I became an accredited trainer by Helen Sanderson, fulfilling my dream in supporting and serving families in a holistic and connected approach. More often than not, we do not think about Person-centred reviews until the adult years and creating plans around daily supports.

In the younger years, that may look like Individual Support Plans, ISPs (sometimes also called IPPs or IEPs) in schools or perhaps goals/plans through the government funding program( FSCD). These plans consist of others creating goals that are measurable for your child and a requirement for the clinician’s job. Everyone is coming to you with a different agenda other than just your child. This is okay, we do require support of therapies, but it can be a lot and some families don’t even bother.

How can we see the child on a deeper level respecting all their layers?

How can we look at the holistic version of the family?

Simple - honour everyone’s role within the family. Each and everyone matters within.

Creating a family vision AS A FAMILY will give insights and help articulate specific strengths and possible supports that are needed for everyone to be successful. Perhaps, we can relieve the pressure off of “the complex child” hitting all the goals and targets, relieve the stress that siblings can feel, and even relieve some pressure on us as the primary caregivers to not have to be at our best ALL the time. Who can be our support?

What does that even look like?

How can we share the load of life?

Laugh more?

Create connection and deeper relationships?

Let’s be intentional. Let’s create space.

I want to sit with you in the chaos, create a safe place for conversation, and teach about self-advocacy. I will dream with you of how to stay connected as a family and develop intentional steps to continue building your family vision. Personally, the “win” for my family is having these strategies in place for everyone to access. Essentially, using universal supports for the family. We will always face challenging situations or seasons of life, but our relationships within the family are the most important. To strengthen what is existing, get to know each other on a deeper level and navigate personal growth within the family.

Join me in a family review that is all about you.

If I was able to guide you through creating and developing a family vision with each person learning about themselves along the way, would you feel supported?

Instead of the primary caregiver attending apts and gaining just enough strategies that rely on them to take the lead, perhaps, after our time together, the load is lifted and shared.

Perhaps, the therapies and supports that come on board will naturally be able to utilize their skills and lens to help support the “group plan.”

THEN, when we see our children entering adulthood, they have been a part of something bigger and creating something great, your family! Your family would have experience around the language, advocacy skills, and time to explore and develop your version of life. I often think of my other two children when I envision a family review. If we have a review each year, each of us has the space to share what is working and not working. It also keeps my husband and I connected to each of them in a different way. As Hannah grows, I know her brothers will want to be a part of the conversations, helping to build a life plan and ways to access specific support. I get goosebumps thinking of where we will be in five years if we start this now. How about you?

I know forward thinking, right?

My family consists of a family member who lives with a disability. I think this is a necessity for us. But why do we only gather when we have too? Why can’t any family access this support?

Read about other “neuro-typical” families who believe in this process and took part in a family review…

“neuro-typical” (I mean what is typical anyway?)
If this is something you are interested in for a loved one, a family, or yourself, please reach out to me.

The Review Process

Before

We will gather a week prior to our scheduled date together in order to prepare and understand the purpose, as well as the process and information required to undergo a successful review.