1.2 Compare service-led and child- and young person-led models of provision for disabled children and young people

This guide will help you answer 1.2 Compare service-led and child- and young person-led models of provision for disabled children and young people.

This guide focuses on understanding two distinct models of support for disabled children and young people. Both models aim to provide care, support and opportunities. The difference lies in how decisions are made, who has the most influence over the services, and how the support is organised.

A worker in the children and young people’s workforce must be able to compare these models clearly. This helps to plan the best possible support for individuals and their families.

Service-led Model of Provision

A service-led model is organised and led mainly by the service providers. These providers may include local authorities, health services, voluntary organisations, or private companies. In this model, the organisation decides the type of support, the way it is delivered, and the choices available.

Key Features

• Services decide what is offered based on their own resources or policies
• The structure is often set by funding arrangements or legal requirements
• Professionals hold the main decision-making power
• Provision may be standardised for groups rather than personalised to each child

Advantages of Service-led Provision

• Can deliver consistent services across a wide area
• Easier to manage large numbers of children and young people
• Policies support compliance with regulations
• Staff may be specialist professionals with high levels of skill

Disadvantages of Service-led Provision

• Less flexibility for individual needs and preferences
• Families and children may have limited input
• Decisions can sometimes feel imposed
• Risk of focusing on what the service can deliver rather than what the child wants or needs

In a service-led model, the child fits into an existing framework rather than the framework being adapted to the child. For example, an after-school club for disabled children might run on set days with fixed activities, regardless of each child’s specific interests.

Child- and Young Person-led Model of Provision

A child-led or young person-led model places the voice and choices of the child or young person at the centre. Here, the starting point is what the child wants to do, and services are arranged around those needs and wishes. This requires listening carefully, giving genuine options, and adapting provision.

Key Features

• The child or young person is actively involved in planning their support
• Decisions reflect the individual’s goals, preferences, and strengths
• Support adapts to changing needs and interests
• Professionals work as partners rather than leaders in decision-making

Advantages of Child-led Provision

• Greater satisfaction and engagement from the child or young person
• Encourages independence and self-advocacy
• Builds confidence and decision-making skills
• Creates activities and support that feel relevant and meaningful

Disadvantages of Child-led Provision

• Can take more time to plan and organise
• May require additional funding or flexibility from services
• Staff need training to support decision-making by children and young people
• Not all children may be able to express their needs directly, requiring creative approaches

An example might be a support worker meeting with a disabled teenager to discuss hobbies. If the young person loves art, sessions could focus on creative projects. This may require adapting spaces, finding suitable materials, or involving local artists.

Comparing the Two Models

When you compare the two, the key difference lies in control and influence. In a service-led model, control is mainly with the organisation. In a child-led model, control is shared or given to the child and family. That difference affects decision-making, participation, and the sense of ownership over the support provided.

Points of Comparison

Decision-making
Service-led: Professionals decide.
Child-led: Child and/or family decide with professional support.

Flexibility
Service-led: More rigid, based on standard options.
Child-led: Flexible and adaptable to change.

Participation
Service-led: Children are recipients of services.
Child-led: Children are active partners.

Focus
Service-led: Meets broad organisational goals.
Child-led: Meets specific personal goals and aspirations.

Responsiveness
Service-led: Responds to organisational resources or policies.
Child-led: Responds to ongoing feedback from the child and family.

Service-led approaches tend to suit larger systems that must serve many people within a given budget. Child-led approaches suit more personalised support, especially for complex needs.

Impact on Disabled Children and Young People

Disabled children often have unique needs that do not neatly fit generic services. The model used can have a strong effect on their daily lives, social inclusion, learning, and independence.

In a service-led model, a child may get access to specialist equipment through a standard waiting list and assessment process. This can be effective but sometimes slow. They may feel included in decisions only at certain points.

In a child-led model, the process can start with what the child says they need. For instance, if a young person feels isolated, provision may focus on social activities that match their interests, rather than offering whatever is available in the general programme.

The personal involvement in a child-led model can help break down barriers to participation. It can also encourage long-term skill building such as self-advocacy.

Challenges in Implementing Child-led Approaches

While child-led provision can bring many benefits, it can be harder to put into practice for some organisations. Challenges may include:

• Changing from a mindset where professionals have full control
• Training staff to work in true partnership with children and young people
• Adapting policies and funding structures to support individual plans
• Balancing the wishes of the child with safety and legal requirements
• Communicating effectively with children who use non-verbal methods

These challenges require commitment from managers and staff. They also need systems to gather and act on feedback in a meaningful way.

Role of Families and Carers

Families play a key role in both models, but more so in a child-led approach. In a service-led model, families may be consulted but often have to fit into the support available. In a child-led model, families can help shape the provision by giving insights into the child’s needs and preferences.

Working closely with families means:

• Frequent communication
• Respect for family knowledge and experience
• Joint decision-making between professionals, the child, and the family

When families are involved more deeply, support tends to feel more relevant and effective.

Examples of Service-led Provision

• Local authority respite services with standardised care plans
• School-based SEN support programmes that follow fixed timetables
• Youth groups for disabled children operating at set times and activities
• Health clinic services offering appointments based on clinician availability

These examples show how services decide most aspects of provision without needing significant input from the child.

Examples of Child-led Provision

• Individual support worker sessions planned around the child’s chosen activities
• Youth councils for disabled young people to co-design programmes
• Flexible outreach services that respond to changing needs each week
• Personal budgets managed by families to arrange preferred support

These examples start from what the child or young person values most.

Skills Workers Need for Child-led Models

To work well in a child-led model, staff need certain skills:

• Active listening
• Encouraging self-expression
• Facilitating choice-making
• Adapting support on the spot
• Working creatively with limited resources
• Communicating in accessible formats

The focus is on enabling the child and young person to have their voice heard and respected.

Policy and Legislative Context

Provision for disabled children and young people in England is shaped by laws and regulations, including the Children and Families Act 2014 and the Equality Act 2010. These protect rights to involvement in decisions, reasonable adjustments, and inclusive opportunities. Service-led models must comply with these, but child-led models often go further by promoting active participation from the start.

Funding arrangements such as direct payments and personal budgets enable more child-led models by giving families control over how money is spent.

Balancing Both Models

In practice, many services blend the two models. This might mean:

• Using set frameworks but allowing input from children and families
• Offering core provision alongside personalised extras
• Adjusting timetables or activities based on feedback

Blending can help meet organisational needs while respecting personal choices.

Final Thoughts

Service-led and child-led provision each have strengths and weaknesses. For disabled children and young people, the most positive outcomes often come from listening to their voices and acting on them. Workers can influence service design by advocating for greater child involvement and flexibility.

The comparison between these models shows that control in service-led approaches rests mainly with the organisation. Child-led approaches put control with the child and family.