What is a person-led approach?

At a glance

A person-led approach is where the person is supported to lead their own care and treated as a person first. The focus is on the person and what they can do, not their condition or disability. Support should focus on achieving the person’s aspirations and be tailored to their needs and unique circumstances.

A person-led approach:

• supports the person, at the ‘centre of the service’, to be involved in making decisions about their life
• takes into account each person’s life experience, age, gender, culture, heritage, language, beliefs and identity
• requires flexible services and support to suit the person’s wishes and priorities
• is strengths based, where people are acknowledged as the experts in their life with a focus on what they can do first, and any help they need second
• includes the person’s support networks as partners.

A person-led approach should support and enable a person to build and keep control over their life.

Resources

Person-Centred vs System-Centred
This short video highlights the difference between person-centred and system-centred services.
Type: Video
Viewing time: 2:39 minutes
Closed captions: Yes
Produced by: Open Future Learning

What does person-centred care mean for mental health services?
This video explains a person-centred approach and how it improves the quality of care.
Type: Video
Viewing time: 2:06 minutes
Closed captions: Yes
Produced by: The Health Foundation

What is a person-centred approach?
This fact sheet explains a person-centred approach, person-centred thinking and person-centred outcomes.
Type: Fact sheet (3 pages)
Produced by: National Disability Practitioners

Transforming 'person centred" to "person-led" approaches
This article gives an overview of person-centred approaches from the perspective of consumers and carers.
Type: Article
Length: 3 pages
Produced by: National Mental Health Consumer & Carer Forum