Benefits of the process

Those who have participated in person centered planning or mapping have experienced many benefits. The positive outcomes have included:

• Capitalizes on a child’s capacities, interests and abilities rather than the use of a remediation model that focuses on areas of need and weaknesses.
• Encourages the participants to think out of the box, creating what makes sense for the child rather than trying to fit the child into a “program”.
• The individual (as appropriate) is a true member of the team and participates in setting the direction.
• Peers (as appropriate) are also members of the team and contribute in meaningful ways.
• Creates a true team where parents and professionals collaborate in supporting the individual and each other in finding solutions when problems occur.
• Forces the team to look towards the future and create programs that teach meaningful skills that improve the quality of the individual’s life.
• Enriches the quality of an IEP.
• Team is active and works throughout the year rather than meeting only at a PPT meeting or when there is a problem.
• Celebrating successes and reflection becomes a part of the teams work. In order for the energy to be maintained and to keep things moving forward it is important to acknowledge and build upon what has worked and to learn from what has not worked.
• Structure provides professionals the opportunity to identify what supports they need in order to implement the program.
• Written information is accumulated that can be useful during transition periods. New supporters can use this information to understand who the individual is and what supports have been helpful. The new team knows what direction to move in to actualize the dream.
• Creates hope and possibilities for the individual.

Limitations

Person centered planning or mapping when utilized effectively can yield many positive outcomes. However when not implemented effectively there can be negative experiences. Problems that can occur include:

• Process is completed and the plan gets filed away. This occurs if the team lacks the understanding of or commitment to the plan as being the first step in an on-going dynamic process. People will say the process didn’t work rather than taking responsibility for not making it work.
• First team meeting is not scheduled at the end of the planning session. Unless this meeting is scheduled it may not happen in a timely manner or at all. Unless the team meets regularly the spirit of collaboration will be lost even if steps are achieved.
• A person is not identified to be the team manager and take on the role of moving the team forward. The person is not necessarily responsible for all the work. He/she is responsible for leading and organizing the team. The facilitator can be helpful in selecting and then providing guidance to the person.
• Parents feel energized and hopeful, and professionals decide to continue along in the same manner. Families become frustrated and disillusioned with professionals.
• Lack of resources to implement the plan. This can be minimized by having administrators participate in the mapping process.
• Parents and other stakeholders may have difficulty sharing their thoughts and feelings. If there is already a confrontational relationship between the parents and professionals, some may find it difficult to share honestly. A skilled and neutral facilitator is even more critical in these situations.
• Facilitation of the process by an unskilled or inexperienced facilitator. The facilitator’s skills are directly reflected in the quality of the plan.
• This is not a quick fix. All team members need to recognize this is a process. There may be learning needs for the staff and structural changes that need to occur before some pieces may be implemented. Person centered planning is a process that needs to be planted like a seed and then nurtured and tended to as it grows and evolves. It is not a product that is installed and then maintained and repaired when broken.

Relationship to the IEP

The purpose of an IEP is to develop an individualized educational plan for the student based on his/her strengths and needs, educating them to the fullest of his/her capacities. A mapping session is a means to gather extensive information, establishing the student’s current program as it relates to a long range outcome. Person centered planning and the IEP are interrelated. Information from the Gifts and Barriers to Respect maps identify the students strengths and areas of need. The Accomplishments map that looks out one year from the date of the session and the Learning Needs maps are used to develop goals and objectives. The Accomplishment map can be reviewed a year later to see how successful the team has been at supporting the student in achieving the expectations they set forth. This also provides the information for the current level of functioning. The process provides the information for many of the components of the IEP. Often times IEP’s are written by professionals and then parents provide input or reactions. The person centered planning process embodies the true collaborative spirit of an Individualized Educational Plan.

First steps

As a parent or professional if you would like to pursue person centered planning for someone you know the following are suggestions on how to proceed:

• Contact your local support group or ASD resource to find out if there is anyone in your area using person-centered planning. If you can locate someone talk to them and ask to visit the program.
• Talk to parents and/or professionals that are involved with person centered planning about their experiences and recommendations for facilitators.
• Speak with your school district’s special education director about your interest in person centered planning. If he/she is unaware of the process, offer to send information and the names of people, with whom you have spoken. Ask that the director forward pertinent information to other team members to review. Request that a meeting be scheduled for the team to discuss moving forward once they have reviewed the information you have gathered.
• If the team agrees to move forward the first step is soliciting the support of a skilled facilitator who will then guide the group through the process.