Ageing, Disability & Home Care

Person centred approaches: Living Life My Way

The NSW Government is committed to making the second phase of Stronger Together even more effective for people with a disability, their families and carers. The priority is to deliver person centred supports and individualised funding arrangements. This means reforming the service system to give people control over their own lives.

What is a person centred approach?

A person centred system places the person with a disability at the centre of decision making when it comes to the supports and services they use.

In a person centred system, the rights of people with a disability, and their families and carers to make choices about their own lives are respected. A person with a disability, their families and carers are heard and supported to exercise choice and to direct supports and service arrangements.

Have your say

The Government is leading a series of extensive consultations on the best way to implement person centred supports and individualised funding arrangements.

These consultations commenced in July 2011 with the Living Life My Way summit hosted by the Minister for Disability Services, Andrew Constance MP. Between August and December 2011, nearly 200 consultation sessions were held across NSW for people. More than 3,000 people participated in these sessions – we consulted with people with a disability, their families and carers, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, Aboriginal communities, people with intellectual disability, service providers and other stakeholders.

The Aboriginal Disability Network New South Wales (ADNNSW) conducted consultations with people with a disability, families and carers, service providers and community members between October and December 2011.

The NSW Council for Intellectual Disability (NSW CID) conducted consultations directly with people with intellectual disability between October and December 2011.

As promised, the Government is consulting again in 2012 about implementing a person centred system in NSW, based on feedback received in 2011. This final stage of the consultations was launched at a one-day event on Tuesday 24 April 2012 at Allphones Arena. Further statewide consultations will be undertaken during May and June 2012.

Vision for a person centred disability system

The Government's vision for a person centred system in NSW is one in which:

  • individuals are supported to achieve their full potential and participate in their communities and the economy
  • families and carers are supported to sustain a care relationship and pursue their own goals
  • a diverse and sustainable service sector provides person centred supports and services in cost effective ways
Back to: top | ADHC home page