Person-centred approach

Designing supports around the individual’s goals, preferences and needs, with them at the centre of decisions.

What it means

A person-centred approach is a way of working that puts the person at the centre of decisions about their own life and supports. Instead of fitting someone into standard services, it builds support around the individual's goals, strengths, preferences and needs. The person is seen as the expert in their own life, and their voice guides what happens.

This approach respects choice and control, two ideas at the heart of the NDIS. It means listening carefully to the person and to the people who matter to them, such as family, friends and carers, and treating the person as a whole individual rather than a set of problems to be managed. Their culture, identity and everyday preferences all count.

In practice

In practice, a person-centred approach shapes how plans are made and how supports are delivered day to day. It starts by asking what a good life looks like for the person, what they want to achieve, and how they prefer to be supported, then designs supports around those answers.

It also means being flexible and reviewing whether supports are still working as the person's life changes. Workers focus on a person's strengths and what they can do, offer real choices, and support the person to make their own decisions wherever possible. Small things matter, like respecting routines, communication preferences and who a person wants involved. Done well, this approach helps people feel heard, respected and more in control of their supports.

A real example

For example, rather than placing Aroha into a set weekday program, her support team asked what she enjoyed and hoped to achieve. Aroha wanted to build cooking skills and spend time outdoors, so her supports were built around those goals, at times that suited her. She felt listened to and more in control of how her week looked.

Person-centred approach — FAQs

What is a person-centred approach?
It is a way of working that puts the person at the centre of decisions about their own life and supports. Rather than fitting someone into standard services, it builds support around their goals, strengths, preferences and needs. It respects choice and control, and involves genuinely listening to the person and to those who matter to them, treating them as the expert in their own life.
How is a person-centred approach different from standard services?
Standard services often expect people to fit into set programs and routines. A person-centred approach flips this, shaping supports around the individual instead. It starts with the person's goals, strengths and preferences, offers real choices, and stays flexible as their life changes. The person's voice guides decisions, rather than the person adapting to whatever service happens to be on offer.
Why does a person-centred approach matter in the NDIS?
Because choice and control are central to the NDIS, and a person-centred approach puts those values into practice. It helps ensure supports actually reflect what a person wants to achieve, rather than a one-size-fits-all program. People are more likely to feel heard, respected and engaged when supports are built around their own goals, strengths and preferences, which often leads to better outcomes.
Who is involved in a person-centred approach?
The person is at the centre and their voice leads. With their agreement, the people who matter to them can be involved too, such as family, friends, carers and chosen supporters. Workers and providers listen and build supports around the person's goals. The aim is always to support the person to make their own decisions, not to decide for them.
Does a person-centred approach mean I get everything I ask for?
Not exactly. It means your goals, preferences and needs genuinely guide decisions and that you are listened to and offered real choices. Supports still need to be reasonable and suited to your situation, so some practical limits apply. Even so, the approach ensures your voice shapes what happens and that supports are built around you, rather than you being fitted into a fixed service.

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