Conference
presented by the Victorian Office of the Public Advocate
Victoria University, 300 Flinders Street, Melbourne
18th October 2013
Supported decision making:
from theory to practice
Presentation
Supported Decision Making from a
Self-Advocacy Perspective
By Christian Astourian
In everyday life human beings have the opportunity to
make a decision on something that will affect them and
others. The following factors can influence decisions’
outcome that a person make:
•The decision being considered urgent or not, level of
importance,
•The quality and amount of information available to make
a decision,
•The level of confidence the person has in him/herself in
making a decision generally,
•The level of confidence a person has in dealing with a
specific decision,
•The past experiences and learning that someone has
accumulated in life,
• Someone may make better or worse decisions based
on his/her health and personal situation at a certain
time in life,
• The person being influenced by important people in
their lives such as family, friends, support workers etc,
• Level of communication (eg. English as a second
language) and verbal, non verbal communication.
When it comes to people with a disability using selfadvocacy services, the aim is to make sure that everyday
life decisions are made in their best interest.
First of all, people with a disability need to be aware that
having the opportunity to choose and decide is a human
right. This right is uphold by different legislations and
conventions at State, Federal and International level.
Therefore we have:
• United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons
with Disabilities 2006,
• Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities
Act 2006,
• Victorian Disability Act 2006,
• Victorian Guardianship and Administration Act 1986,
• Disability Discrimination Act 1992,
• Victorian Equal Opportunity Act 1995,
• National Standards for Disability Services 1992.
Quite often all the legislation above aimed at protecting
the rights of people with a disability is not enough because
people with a disability need to be in a position of
confidence to implement those rights.
Confidence is not generally something that everyone is
born with but it is something person can develop over the
years based on his/her experiences in life and knowing
his/herself better.
For people with a disability it is even harder to develop
this confidence because there are more barriers that
need to be overcome. Barriers that society put on people
with a disability where there can be an assumption that
someone who requires more time to decide, someone
who doesn’t speak clearly or is non verbal, someone who
may require the information in a different format before
making a decision, someone who look, move or behave
differently is unable to decide for him/herself. Therefore
there is an assumption that other people have somehow
a better capacity to decide on behalf of the person with a
disability or should influence that person with a disability
in making a decision.
Sometimes, the people who have this assumption are
actually the closest people in a person with a disability’s
life such as family, support workers and friends who are
supposed to be the ones that know better the person
with a disability and will therefore provide him/her with
an opportunity to speak up and decide for him/herself.
People with a disability need to realise who they are.
They are people who need to fight for things
that many other people take for granted. It is paramount
not to ever give up fighting because fighting should be
part of everyday life to fulfil the goal of being treated like
a human being who has rights.
Firstly, people with a disability need to be given the
opportunity to express themselves and communicate
with the aim of being heard. If needed, resources and
technology should be provided to people who
communicate non-verbally or have any other
impairment that requires support to communicate more
effectively.
Secondly, some people with a disability may require
information to be provided in different formats, eg. Easy
English, to support them in the decision making
process.
Everyone in life, including people with a disability, need
to be supported and encouraged from a young age to
make decisions because it’s the best way to develop
confidence and good self esteem. With decisions also
comes responsibility. People with a disability should
take that responsibility too and deal with positive and
negative consequences because it is a very important
part of learning and growing up as a human being.
Basically, people with a disability should have the right
to make mistakes too and learn from them.
We all know how sometimes Duty of Care, OHS and
Dignity of Risk have a role to play when a person with a
disability make a decision. It is very hard to know where
the right balance is between the 3 points above but it is
vital to make sure people with a disability get the
opportunity to experience life as much as everyone else
in society, with the right support if required.
Generally speaking, self advocacy is there to support
and encourage people with a disability to speak up for
themselves and make decisions. People with a disability
may also want support from other people in the decision
making process. It is important they get the opportunity
to choose who they want to support them. For example,
it could be a family member, support worker, friend or a
complete stranger that has knowledge and experience
in the issue that needs to be decided.
It is very important that people with a disability are in
control of their lives and their decision making process.
Any support given should be discussed in consultation
with the person who has a disability.
In conclusion, supported decision making process is
very important for those who require it and should
always be used to enhance the basic human rights of
freedom, respect, choice that many of us take for
granted. People with a disability also need to make the
most of their skills, knowledge and confidence by never
being afraid to ask for support if needed. If the person
with a disability feels s/he is not heard, then there is a
complaint process and a fight for individual (and
collective) rights worth pursuing. Keep in mind there is
only one life and therefore there is the need to make the
most of it.
Poem for conclusion
To laugh often and much,
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children,
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal
of false friends,
To appreciate beauty, To find the best in others, To leave the world
a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a
redeemed social condition,
To know even one life has breathed easier
Because you lived,
This is to have succeeded.
Ralph Waldo Emerson