This is where the Great Interactions Policy and our Great Interactions training made a massive impact.
As a team we got together and tried to think of creative ways that we could engage Simon and enable him to take control of his meeting. We wanted to make his review a positive experience; after all it is about Simon’s life.
Simon is a keen photographer, so his linkworker, Roystan, supported him to take lots of pictures of his activities and the things he likes to do.
They then worked together getting the pictures enlarged. Roystan did everything in small steps, explaining what the pictures were for and ensuring Simon was fully involved in the whole process. This seemed to ease any anxieties that Simon may have had leading up to his review.
Person Centered Review day arrived and Simon was supported to take charge. He started by taking photos of all the people he had invited. This would be a good reminder for later.
Staff had supported Simon to put the pictures of his activities up on the wall and Simon pointed to each one in turn to open the discussion on this topic. He seemed to enjoy taking control and leading the discussion in this way and taking the pivotal role in the review seemed to ease his anxieties.
Throughout his meeting Simon walked around taking pictures and joined in by pointing to the pictures for each topic.
Everyone had hoped that Simon would be able to cope with participating in part of the meeting, and that he would take more control of his review and the planning for his future. To everyone’s amazement Simon participated fully in the whole process and this lasted for just over 2 hours!
His Mum and Dad were amazed at how well Simon had coped with, and participated in, a situation that would usually cause him great anxieties.
As a team we were delighted that we had found a creative way of supporting Simon. Thinking about: ‘It aint what you do, it’s the way that you do it’ made us focused and determined to support a better outcome for him and the result was Simon being able to take increased control over his future. We think that’s a good result.
Sally Lee
Head of Service, Warrington