Person-Centred Planning (PCP) Tools

Person-Centred Planning (PCP) was first developed in the 1980s by a small number of people including John O’Brien, Connie Lyle O’Brien, Beth Mount, Jack Pearpoint, Marsha Forest, and Michael Smull. It was originally developed as a way of enabling people (children and adults) to move out of specialist settings such as schools, hospital and institutions into mainstream life. PCP is built on the values of inclusion and looks at what support a person needs to be included and involved in their community. In education, we use 'Person Centred' to refer to planning, support, and learning that is tailored to meeting the unique needs of individual learners. Various PCP tools can be used to include a leaner in their education and to structure meetings. 

Person-Centred Thinking Tools can be used to structure conversations with learners about PCP and to feed into PCP Meetings - click here for some helpful templates created by Helen Sanderson Associates.

Before you facilitate a PCP Meeting to support a learner, you should consider the following six steps to ensure you plan appropriately and use PCP tools effectively:

1. How will you structure your approach based on the individual?

All learners are unique and will have individual strengths, needs, and experiences of education. It is important to ensure the PCP tool selected for the meeting, and the way it will used, meets the individual needs of the learner in a meaningful and impactful way.

2. Who will be involved in the PCP Meeting for this learner?

The learner and their parents/carers should be actively involved in the PCP process along with relevant professionals to ensure their voices are heard and respected. Consider if you will use Person-Centred Thinking tools to support the inclusion of the voice and experiences of a learner.

3. What language will be used during the PCP Meeting?

Language and communication used during the PCP Meeting should be developmentally appropriate for the learner to promote their engagement and understanding. Consideration should be given to language needs of learners and how educational jargon can be avoided. 

4. What are the aims of using PCP for this learner?

All PCP Meetings should focus on identifying areas of strengths and needs for an individual learner. PCP aims to develop a shared vision of the future for the learner which should be led by the individual. You should also consider how else the PCP Meeting will be used to inform planning and decision-making (e.g., key transitions) with a focus on what will be most impactful and meaningful for the learner.

5. What tool(s) will be used for this learner?

Based on your knowledge of the learner and the aims of the PCP Meeting, an appropriate PCP tool should be selected. Consideration should be given to the accessibility of the tool with adaptions made accordingly (e.g., using visuals instead of text). You may wish to select a tool detailed below, or another PCP tool that you are familiar with. 

6. How will the PCP be reviewed?

It is important to agree timescales and responsibilities around when and how the PCP Meeting will be reviewed. This will allow the group to evaluate the impact of plans and make changes as required to ensure they remain relevant and effective for the learner.