The Person-Centred Approach Quick Guide

What we mean by person-centred care

“Person-centred care” isn’t just a buzzword. It means shifting away from telling people where they’re going and how to get there, and instead walking alongside them as they choose their own direction. Historically services leaned toward compliance: "This is the plan; come along." Person-centred work asks: "Where do YOU want to walk?” Changing this mindset takes practice because the old ways are deeply ingrained.

What it is (and what it isn’t)

A person-centred approach is not only about needs; it also recognises strengths, abilities, and passions. Each person brings skills, history, and preferences. Our role is to uncover and build on these.

It is

• Collaborative and empowering.
• Rooted in the person’s life, abilities, goals, and preferences.
• Focused on helping people find and use their own resources.

It is not

• One-size-fits-all.
• A way to make people more like us or to deliver our plan for them.
• Quick fixes or manipulation toward outcomes we want.

In other words: I don’t have a plan for your life. I’ll help you discover your own.

Empowerment vs enabling

A frequent judgement call is whether we’re empowering people to change or enabling them to stay stuck.

• Empowerment – supporting progress that increases independence and confidence; building resources so people can act on their own terms.
• Enabling – taking over or maintaining unhelpful patterns; doing too much for someone or pushing our hopes rather than theirs.

Because the difference is subtle, keep asking: "Whose plan is this—ours or theirs?" Discuss this openly as a team.

Locus of control

“Locus of control” is about where people believe control sits.

• Internal locus – "I make things happen. My choices affect my future.”
• External locus – “Things happen to me. My future depends on luck, fate, or other people.”

Many people we support begin externally focused. They may agree in the moment to please us, but motivation fades when we step away. Real change happens when people experience small, practical wins (e.g., finishing a project, travelling independently, cooking a meal) that build confidence and shift beliefs toward an internal locus.

The Boost vs The Lift

It’s tempting to do everything for people, especially when we’re eager for success, but that can create dependency.

• The lift – we do all the work; if we let go, they’re back where they started.
• The boost – we give a push, but they climb themselves; the effort and achievement belong to them.

Before helping, ask: Do they even want to climb this wall? Supporting someone to pursue our goals is not person-centred.

Practical principles for our practice

• Listen first, and then listen again. Don’t listen only for what you hope to hear.
• Ask good questions. e.g., “What do you think we should do?”
• Hold back judgement. Hear the whole story before moral conclusions.
• Check in regularly. Interests and goals change; ask, *“Is this still working for you?”*
• Look for passion. Many have never been asked what excites them; discovery takes patience.
• Aim for sustainability. Lasting motivation is internal; external pressure rarely sticks.

Working together

Because the line between empowering and enabling is blurry, we need collective reflection.

• Review trainees/residents together and involve them as much as possible: current position, desires, recent progress.
• Challenge assumptions: Are we empowering or enabling? Whose plan is this?
• Hold one another kindly accountable and support colleagues when outcomes feel personal. Setbacks are part of complex growth, not a simple judgement on a worker’s skill or commitment.

Remember

We don’t decide the plan for someone’s life. We walk alongside them while they discover their own.

This work is slower and messier than “everyone on the same bus,” but it’s the only approach that truly lasts, and it's the most rewarding when people no longer need us.