Person‐Centred Planning in Centres of Activities for Inclusion

Abstract

Person‐centred planning includes the active social participation of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and is the fairest path towards assuring human rights and citizenship among people with IDD. Semi‐structured interviews were undertaken with four technicians from centres of activities in Portugal, four family members, and four adults with IDD to observe the best practices that facilitate/hinder the implementation of person‐centred interventions. Several discrepancies were identified regarding inclusive practices in centres of activities and capacity building, associated with the sense of mission, vision and perspective of technical structures, the bureaucratic weight that conditions the transition between intervention models, the participation and positioning of families regarding their representation of the centres, as well as the investment these centres make concerning effective and fair inclusion in surrounding communities. Still far from successful implementation, a person‐centred approach must be considered and include all participants’ perspectives to build robust and integral life projects.