Ryan’s Story

• 14 Jan 2021
• |
• Ireland

Adult Learning Disability and Co-Production

Since joining Praxis Care in 2015, Ryan’s independent living skills and quality of life have significantly improved whilst living within the community where he has been supported to participate in everyday decision making and develop his confidence in expressing his wishes and feelings.

Holding knowledge of Ryan through including him in his own care planning has enabled the team to tease out meanings behind his behaviours. Co-production has been crucial as the ‘meetings of minds have come together to find a shared solution’. He is increasingly responsible for self-management and making choices.

Ryan has contributed to the planning of some holidays, as well: helping to understand the costings involved and planning his travel journey. To date, he has visited his favourite football team in Manchester, gone sight-seeing in London and attended concerts including Westlife.

Ryan has clearly received the message of joint partnership working as all conversations are now conducted amongst professionals and Ryan and information is provided to Ryan at his level of understanding. He recognises he is at the heart of any approach and feels empowered to contribute to his own decision making and care planning.

Involving Ryan as a partner within his own system has meant we had to understand what was important for him. This was recently captured through Ryan’s ‘All About Me Assessment’ which opened conversations regarding future planning and identified additional support needs. Co-production is a strengths-based approach and this assessment sits firmly within this.

Ryan’s involvement within this assessment highlighted his hopes for the future where he shared his dream of working for Translink N.I. This opened discussions of the skills Ryan already holds, including the ability to read bus timetables and knowledge of local bus routes. This information created an opportunity for Ryan to move towards meaningful participation and engagement and firmly placed him as the expert of his own life. Ryan has since taken ownership of supporting his own care staff to travel to his home through providing them the bus times, routes and buses required to ensure they were time efficient for their shift.

Ryan fully participated in devising the staff rota with the Registered Manager, allowing staff time to get the bus in Foyle Street in Derry, arriving in Ballykelly in time for them to walk to his house, and the staff going off shift to give a handover and walk to the bus stop in time to get the bus into Derry. Prior to this, staff were anxious about being able to arrive to work on time or catch the bus home. This has empowered Ryan to have the confidence to take control of his future care planning and how his support service is delivered to him.

This identification of Ryan’s dream also empowered all involved in his care to have solution-focused approaches and promote joint responsibility for achieving a positive outcome. Through collaborative working and the building of community relationships, Ryan has recently availed of an opportunity to visit Limavady Bus Station. Ryan was informed of all the different types of Translink buses, had an opportunity to sit behind the driver’s wheel, got a tour of station, and enjoyed a VIP bus ride on the local bus route. Ryan’s knowledge of the buses impressed the staff of Translink N.I. and this initial meeting has now paved the way for Ryan’s future.  

Whilst it may be more of a challenge for Ryan to learn to drive and increase his fitness levels for such employment, this can be achievable. Through thinking creatively about the goal of his fitness improvement being to support potential future employment, Ryan has successfully engaged in a fitness programme.

The dedication, commitment and valued contribution of Ryan and all professionals involved have now resulted in Ryan’s care plan being individualised. We are hopeful his co-produced person-centred care package will result in lasting changes to benefit Ryan.