Person-Centred Practice Policy

Person-Centred Practice Policy

Placing each person at the centre of their supports, their community, and their life

1. Purpose

This policy defines what person-centred practice means at Together Two Limited and how it is embedded across every support and service we deliver. It provides the framework, principles, and practical expectations that guide how workers plan, deliver, and review supports with participants.

Person-centred practice is not an add-on or an aspiration. It is the foundation of everything we do. Our mission, “We connect to empower”, only has meaning when the people we support genuinely direct their own lives, make their own choices, and are surrounded by relationships that matter to them.

Together Two has adopted the Keys to Citizenship framework (Simon Duffy) as the guiding model for person-centred practice across the organisation. This framework ensures that supports address all seven domains of a good life: freedom, direction, money, home, assistance, life, and relationships. It moves our practice beyond service delivery into genuine citizenship, where each person we support is recognised as a full member of their community with rights, contributions, and aspirations.

→ Our Future: Community-Led Plan 2026–2029: Guiding Frameworks (Keys to Citizenship and Think Local Act Personal).

2. Scope

This policy applies to all supports and services delivered by Together Two, including Supported Independent Living (SIL), the ZigZag Day Program, in-home supports, community-based supports, School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES), support coordination, and aged care services delivered in partnership with Trilogy Care.

It applies to all representatives of Together Two including the Board of Directors, Senior Leadership Team, permanent and casual workers, contractors, volunteers (including Good in the Hood volunteers), and students on placement.

Person-centred practice applies at every stage of the participant journey: from initial enquiry and intake, through support planning, service agreement, daily support delivery, review, and transition or exit.

3. Legislative and Regulatory Framework

This policy supports compliance with:

National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (Cth)

NDIS (Provider Registration and Practice Standards) Rules 2018, Core Module: Rights and Responsibilities (Person-Centred Supports outcome)

NDIS (Code of Conduct) Rules 2018

NDIS (Quality Indicators) Guidelines 2018

United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), in particular Article 19 (Living independently and being included in the community)

Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)

Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and Australian Privacy Principles

NDIS Workforce Capability Framework

→ Business and Operational Plan 2025–2028: Section 9 (Legislative and Regulatory Framework) and Compliance Register (Form 17).

4. The Keys to Citizenship: Our Person-Centred Framework

Together Two’s approach to person-centred practice is structured around the seven Keys to Citizenship. These are not abstract principles. They are practical commitments that shape how we plan, deliver, and review supports for every participant.

4.1 Freedom

Each person has the right to make decisions, take risks, and live on their own terms.

Workers support participants to make informed choices about their daily life, including what they eat, what they wear, how they spend their time, who they see, and where they go.

Dignity of risk is actively supported. Workers do not prevent a participant from making a choice simply because it involves risk. Instead, they help the participant understand the potential consequences and support them in their decision.

For participants with complex communication needs, workers draw on the knowledge of the participant’s Circle of Support to understand the person’s known will and preferences.

Where a participant has a legally appointed guardian or substitute decision-maker, workers continue to seek the participant’s views and preferences wherever possible, consistent with the Decision Making and Consent Policy.

→ Decision Making and Consent Policy; Duty of Care and Dignity of Risk Policy.

4.2 Direction

Each person can lead a meaningful life aligned with their passions, interests, and abilities.

Support plans are built around what matters to the participant, not what is convenient for the service. Plans document the participant’s goals, aspirations, preferences, and the outcomes they want to achieve.

Support plans are developed collaboratively with the participant and, with their consent, their Circle of Support. The participant’s circle brings irreplaceable knowledge about who the person is, what brings them joy, and what causes them distress.

Goals are reviewed regularly with the participant to ensure they remain relevant. Where a participant’s circumstances or aspirations change, the support plan is updated to reflect this.

For SIL participants with complex behavioural and psychosocial needs, positive behaviour support plans are developed using a person-centred, strengths-based approach that prioritises quality of life over compliance.

→ Circles of Support Engagement Framework; Positive Behaviour Support Policy.

4.3 Money

Financial independence is essential for dignity and autonomy.

Participants are supported to understand and manage their NDIS funding, including how their plan budget is allocated and what choices they have.

Pricing is transparent. Participants are informed of the cost of supports before they are delivered, and no hidden fees or charges are applied.

SLES and employment support programs create genuine pathways to economic participation, connecting participants with real employment opportunities through the Wellbeing Hub model and community partnerships.

Participant money and property is handled in accordance with the Participant Money and Property Policy, with full accountability and documentation.

→ Pricing Policy; Participant Money and Property Policy; Business and Operational Plan 2025–2028: Section 4 (Community and Enterprise, SLES).

4.4 Home

Each person deserves a home that is truly individualised, offering safety, privacy, and connection.

For SIL participants, their dwelling is their home, not a facility. Workers enter the home as guests and respect the participant’s right to privacy, personal space, and control over their environment.

Participants are supported to personalise their living space with their own belongings, decorations, and routines.

The physical environment is maintained safely while respecting the participant’s preferences. Risk assessments for SIL dwellings balance safety with the participant’s right to live in a home that feels like theirs.

Together Two is exploring innovative housing models including Shared Lives and NDIS Individualised Living Options (ILO) as alternatives to traditional shared accommodation.

→ Supported Independent Living (SIL) Policy; Risk Management Policy; Our Future: Community-Led Plan 2026–2029: Pillar 2 (Integrated Care and Wellbeing Hub).

4.5 Assistance

Seeking and receiving help is valued, and assistance is delivered with skill and respect.

Support is delivered in the way the participant prefers, at the time they prefer, and by workers they are comfortable with. Wherever possible, participants have input into which workers support them.

Workers delivering high intensity supports (complex bowel care, wound management, enteral feeding, medication, epilepsy management, tracheostomy, catheter, ventilator, and subcutaneous injection support) are trained in the specific needs of each participant they support, in accordance with the NDIS High Intensity Support Skills Descriptors.

Assistance is delivered in the least restrictive way possible. Workers support participants to do things for themselves wherever they can, stepping in only where needed and to the extent needed.

Clinical governance ensures that the right worker, with the right skills, delivers the right support at the right time. This is overseen by Rei Guzman, Head of Aged Care and Clinical Services.

→ High Intensity Daily Personal Activities policies (Module 1); Skill and Competency Matrix; Business and Operational Plan 2025–2028: Section 4 (Aged Care and Clinical Services).

4.6 Life

Each person can contribute to their community through volunteering, social, and cultural activities.

Together Two actively supports community participation as a core component of person-centred practice, not as an optional extra.

The ZigZag Day Program provides group-based activities focused on community connection, skill development, and social participation in non-segregated settings.

The Good in the Hood partnership provides opportunities for participants to work alongside approximately 80 community volunteers in food relief, community gardening, social outings, and other programs. These are genuine community roles, not simulated activities.

Workers support participants to maintain and develop interests, hobbies, and social connections outside of paid supports, strengthening the Circle of Participation and Circle of Friendship.

→ Circles of Support Engagement Framework: Circle of Participation; Our Future: Community-Led Plan 2026–2029: Community Partnership (Good in the Hood).

4.7 Relationships

Relationships and connections enrich life, and Together Two creates the conditions for them to flourish.

The Circles of Support model recognises that paid support workers (the Circle of Exchange) should never be the only people in a participant’s life. Together Two actively works to strengthen the inner circles of intimacy, friendship, and participation around each participant.

Support plans document the important people in a participant’s life and how those relationships are maintained and supported.

Workers are trained to understand the difference between professional boundaries and emotional warmth. Person-centred practice requires genuine human connection, not clinical detachment.

The Family and Supporter Committee, co-design sessions, and Support Circuits AI portal all serve to keep families and supporters connected and involved.

For participants at risk of social isolation, particularly those in SIL with complex needs, Together Two maps existing circles and identifies gaps as part of the Circles of Support implementation.

→ Circles of Support Engagement Framework; Working with Participant Support Networks Policy.

5. Communication and Responsiveness

Person-centred practice requires communication that is responsive to each participant’s needs and delivered in the language, mode, and terms the participant is most likely to understand.

Together Two ensures responsive communication by:

Documenting each participant’s preferred communication methods in their support plan, including any assistive technologies, communication devices, alternative or augmentative communication systems, visual supports, or Easy Read materials.

Ensuring all workers supporting a participant are trained in that participant’s specific communication needs before commencing support. This is part of the client-specific induction process.

Providing interpreting and translation services through TIS National or other reputable providers for participants from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. Face-to-face interpreting for NDIS meetings can be billed to the NDIA.

Using Easy Read documents, including the Circles of Support Easy Read, to communicate key information about rights, supports, and feedback mechanisms.

Training all workers in the NDIS Commission’s Supporting Effective Communication e-learning module as part of induction.

For participants who cannot verbally communicate, drawing on the knowledge of their Circle of Support to understand the participant’s known will, preferences, and the non-verbal cues that indicate comfort, distress, or preference.

→ Diversity and Inclusion Policy; Circles of Support Engagement Framework: Giving Voice to Those Who Cannot Speak.

6. Person-Centred Support Planning

Support plans are the primary mechanism through which person-centred practice is documented, communicated, and delivered. At Together Two, support plans:

Are developed with the participant, not for them. The participant is the author of their own plan wherever possible, supported by workers and their circle.

Document the participant’s goals, aspirations, strengths, preferences, routines, cultural and spiritual needs, and important relationships.

Include information about the participant’s communication methods and how workers should interpret and respond to non-verbal cues.

Include risk assessments developed in consultation with the participant and their circle, balancing safety with the participant’s right to dignity of risk.

Document the participant’s Circle of Support, including who is in each circle (intimacy, friendship, participation, exchange), their role, and how they contribute to the participant’s goals.

Are accessible to the participant in a format they can understand and are shared with authorised circle members through the Support Circuits AI portal.

Are reviewed at least annually with the participant and their circle, and more frequently when the participant’s needs, goals, or circumstances change.

Are provided to all workers supporting the participant before they commence support, ensuring continuity and consistency.

→ Continuity of Supports Policy; Entry and Exit Policy; Service Agreement Management Policy.

7. Worker Responsibilities

Every worker at Together Two is responsible for delivering person-centred supports. This means:

Treating each participant as an individual with their own identity, preferences, strengths, and aspirations, not as a diagnosis, a funding package, or a set of support needs.

Reading, understanding, and following each participant’s support plan before commencing support.

Communicating with participants using their preferred methods, with patience, respect, and genuine interest.

Supporting participant choice and control in everyday decisions, including meals, activities, routines, and social interactions.

Respecting the participant’s home, belongings, and personal space, particularly in SIL settings.

Recognising and responding to signs that a participant is uncomfortable, distressed, or unhappy, and adjusting the approach accordingly.

Building positive relationships with participants while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.

Working collaboratively with the participant’s Circle of Support, including family members, advocates, and other professionals.

Reporting any concerns about the quality, safety, or person-centredness of supports through incident reporting or feedback mechanisms.

8. Management and Organisational Responsibilities

Person-centred practice requires organisational commitment, not just individual worker effort. Together Two’s management team is responsible for:

8.1 Aisling Scully, Head of NDIS Services (Policy Owner)

Ensuring person-centred practice is embedded in all NDIS support planning, delivery, and review processes across SIL, ZigZag, in-home, and support coordination services.

Overseeing the integration of Keys to Citizenship principles into support plans and daily practice.

Monitoring the quality of person-centred practice through supervision, support plan audits, and participant feedback.

8.2 Sergio Pinzon, Head of HR and Business Improvement

Ensuring person-centred practice is embedded in worker induction, mandatory training, and ongoing professional development.

Ensuring the Skill and Competency Matrix captures person-centred practice competencies for all roles.

Incorporating person-centred practice into performance management and supervision frameworks.

8.3 Rei Guzman, Head of Aged Care and Clinical Services

Ensuring clinical governance supports person-centred practice, particularly in high-intensity and complex support settings.

Ensuring clinical care plans are developed collaboratively with participants and their circles, not imposed by clinical staff.

8.4 Marco De Angelis, Head of Community and Enterprise

Ensuring community participation programs (Good in the Hood, SLES, TEI) are designed around participant choice and contribute to genuine community connection.

Maintaining the integrated, non-segregated model where participants participate as community members, not as service recipients.

→ Business and Operational Plan 2025–2028: Section 3 (Senior Leadership Team) and Section 4 (Operational Priorities).

9. Monitoring and Continuous Improvement

Together Two monitors and improves person-centred practice through:

Participant satisfaction surveys conducted at least every 18 months, which include questions about choice, control, and whether the participant feels listened to.

The Family and Supporter Committee (bi-monthly), which provides collective feedback on the quality of person-centred practice across the organisation.

Co-design sessions (at least two per year) where participants and families directly shape service improvements.

Support plan audits conducted as part of the internal audit program, assessing whether plans are genuinely person-centred, current, and reflective of participant goals.

Supervision sessions where managers review workers’ person-centred practice, discuss challenges, and identify training needs.

Incident and complaints data, which is analysed for themes relating to choice, control, dignity, and participant voice.

Improvement actions are documented in the Continuous Improvement Register with assigned owners, timeframes, and expected outcomes.

→ Continuous Improvement Policy; Internal Audit Schedule and CI Register; Circles of Support Engagement Framework: How Feedback Drives Improvement.

10. NDIS Quality Indicators, Audit Reference

This policy directly addresses the Person-Centred Supports outcome within the NDIS Practice Standards Core Module: Rights and Responsibilities.

11. Related Documents

12. Document Control