2.2 Identify types of care and support planning tools available

This guide will help you answer 2.2 Identify types of care and support planning tools available.

Care and support planning tools are used in health and social care settings to ensure services are tailored to meet individual needs. These tools help individuals voice their preferences, identify goals, and design plans that reflect their priorities. They are instrumental in creating personalised care and support while promoting independence and improving well-being.

What Are Care and Support Planning Tools?

Care and support planning tools are practical resources used to gather, organise, and document information about an individual. They provide a structure for assessing needs, setting outcomes, and deciding how to deliver care. These tools can be physical documents, software, or guidelines that support the care planning process.

By using these tools, health and social care professionals can involve individuals in decisions about their care, ensuring their voices are heard and their needs are respected.

Common Types of Care and Support Planning Tools

There are several types of care and support planning tools in the UK. These tools are designed for different purposes and settings but revolve around person-centred principles.

Assessment Frameworks

Assessment frameworks are tools used to evaluate an individual’s needs, goals, capabilities, and preferences. They set the foundation for creating care plans.

Examples include:

• Social Care Needs Assessment – Used by local authorities to determine what care and support an individual requires.
• Continuing Healthcare Checklist – Helps assess eligibility for NHS-funded continuing care.
• Mental Health Act Assessments – Evaluates mental health needs and any risks to the individual or others.

Personal Budgeting Tools

Personal budget tools help individuals understand and manage the funds allocated for their care and support.

Key examples are:

• Personal Budget Breakdown – A financial plan detailing how an individual’s budget will be spent on specific services, support, or activities.
• Direct Payment Agreements – Used to organise funds individuals receive to purchase their own care services.

Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans

These plans are designed for children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND). EHC plans integrate support across education, health, and social care services.

Features include:

• A focus on the child’s aspirations and long-term outcomes.
• Collaboration between families, schools, and service providers.
• Details about specific support needed, e.g., therapies, equipment, or accommodations.

Risk Assessment Tools

Risk assessment tools identify potential risks affecting an individual’s safety, health, or well-being. They are crucial when planning care for individuals who face complex challenges or vulnerabilities.

Examples of risk assessment tools:

• Falls Risk Assessments – Determines the likelihood of falling based on mobility and environment.
• Safeguarding Risk Assessments – Helps spot signs of abuse or neglect.
• Behavioural Risk Assessments – Assists in understanding risks linked to challenging behaviour.

Care Plans

Care plans are documents outlining the day-to-day needs of a person and how support will be provided. They serve as a reference for carers and other professionals to ensure consistent and accurate delivery of care.

Care plans include:

• Information about the person’s needs in areas like physical health, mental health, mobility, or social activities.
• Strategies to achieve outcomes or goals agreed upon by the individual and their carers.
• Emergency protocols to follow if necessary.

Advance Care Planning (ACP) Tools

Advance care planning tools are used to document preferences for future care. They are often critical in ensuring an individual’s wishes are respected as they approach the end of life or face serious health conditions.

Examples include:

• Living Wills – Documents outlining treatment preferences if the individual becomes unable to communicate.
• Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) Forms – State the individual’s decision about whether CPR should be attempted.
• End-of-Life Care Plans – Focus on how best to support individuals emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

Person-Centred Tools

Person-centred tools focus on understanding the individual’s lived experience, strengths, resources, and priorities. They ensure the care plan reflects the individual’s goals.

Common person-centred tools:

• What’s Important to Me – A tool for identifying values and priorities.
• One-Page Profiles – Short summaries of what people appreciate about the individual and what matters to them.
• Circles of Support – A visual map of the people important to an individual and how they can offer support.

Technology-Based Planning Tools

Digital tools have increasingly become part of care planning due to their efficiency and accessibility.

Examples of technology-based tools:

• Electronic Care Records – Enable professionals to access and update individual care plans quickly.
• Apps – Applications designed to help individuals monitor health conditions, track medication, or engage in therapy exercises.
• Online Budget Tracking Platforms – For individuals managing personal budgets independently.

Decision-Making Tools

Helping individuals make informed choices is central to care planning. Decision-making tools assist by explaining options, presenting potential outcomes, and involving the individual in the process.

Key examples include:

• Shared Decision-Making Models – Frameworks that guide conversations between professionals and individuals about treatment or care options.
• Accessible Information – Formats such as easy-read documents or videos that help individuals understand available services and options.

Benefits of Care and Support Planning Tools

These tools ensure care is comprehensive, person-centred, and focused on achieving outcomes that matter to the individual. Benefits include:

• Enabling individuals to express their preferences confidently.
• Supporting effective communication between care providers and individuals.
• Reducing risks by identifying potential safety concerns early.
• Improving the efficiency of care delivery using digital options.

Limitations of Planning Tools

While they are highly useful, care and support planning tools may have some limitations, such as:

• Individuals finding forms or assessments overwhelming or confusing.
• Staff lacking training to use tools effectively.
• Gaps in accessibility, such as no adaptations for non-verbal communication.

Addressing Limitations

To combat these issues, organisations can:

• Provide training for staff to use tools effectively and confidently.
• Make tools available in various formats, such as audio descriptions or translated documents.
• Develop collaborative tools, so individuals feel supported rather than isolated in the process.

Final Thoughts

Care and support planning tools are essential in health and social care settings across the UK. They help professionals assess needs, set goals, and deliver personalised care. Tools such as care plans, assessments, personal budgets, and person-centred frameworks give individuals more control and independence in their lives. Identifying the most suitable planning tools is key to providing effective and inclusive care that meets unique needs.