Person-Centered Planning: support methodology for persons with disabilities to lead their own life. The experience of ASPRODEMA

<p><em>The P</em><em>erson-Centered Planning (PCP) is a methodology developed in the eighties in the XX century, it is oriented to achieve that people with intellectual or developmental disabilities will have the opportunity to lead their own life. During the PCP’s process, the protagonists count on the support of the confident people chosen by themselves among their own family, professionals or friends within their environment. This methodology is coherent with many principles of the professional practice of Social Work and others professions within the Social Intervention field. The Group ASPRODEMA has implemented the PCP as support methodology in the elaboration of user’s Life Plans included within their services since 2008. This experience has succeeded in helping 49 persons, some of them for at least 10 years, plan their personal goals thus leading their own life. This methodology is based on the concepts of Human Rights, Quality of Life and Self-determination that should guide, both the services aimed at providing support and care for people with intellectual disabilities, as well as the professional intervention of Social Work with this group of people. At the end of this paper, six examples of successful experiences are presented, showing some global results with people, their family and their circle of support, giving some conclusions in relation to the PCP experience of the Group ASPRODEMA during these years.</em>