THE PERSONAL PROFILE*

Profile for:




Date:




People who contributed to this profile:




1.



2.



3.



4.



5.



6.



7.



8.




* The forms of the Personal Profile are based on the work of John OBrien and Connie Lyle OBrien
published in Framework For Accomplishment. Georgia: Responsive Systems Associates, 1989
THE PERSONS PAST

In exploring the persons past, answer the following questions:
What were the important experiences the person has had?











Where has s/he lived, with whom, for how long?









Where did the person go to school?






What were this persons learning experiences like?











Has this person missed out on any typical life experiences? (growing up in a family; going to
school with siblings and neighbours; etc)
What experiences have been traumatic?











What successes has s/he had?














What relationships has s/he developed?














Other important information:














What were the major milestones or life events to date?

Important Events:

Born
Year 02 03 04


Consider . . .
RELATIONSHIPS

Present relationships within the persons family:











Previous or past relationships within the persons family or community:














Identify people whom the person spends most time with (every day, every week):














Which of these people are service-users?









Which of these people are staff of the service?
Which of these people do not have a disability?









Are there any important people who occasionally spend time with this person?











Identify the people who are friends and allies, who know the person intimately and who will
advocate on their behalf:
















Relationship Map

Using the space provided below, and the information gathered:


place the person in the centre of the map, putting other people in the persons life around
the person on the page;

put people who are more important closer to the person;


use thicker lines to connect those people the person spends most time with;


underline the people in red who are the persons strongest allies and advocates;

under each name write the relationship to that person (e.g. brother, friend, teacher).





























Developing Relationships

What would it take to provide better support for the persons present network of
relationships?











If the person has very few friends or allies, what would it take to change that situation?
What would it take to increase the number of non-disabled people, including age-peers, who
know and spend time with the person?











Are there people from the past the person might like to get in touch with?
ORDINARY PLACES

Ordinary places include the street, shops, public transport, pubs, theatre, public swimming
pool and other leisure facilities.

Identify the community settings (not services) the person uses regularly (daily, weekly,
occasionally):


Daily:



Weekly:



Occasionally:



Which of these places does the person go to alone, as part of a small group, or as part of a
larger group?


Alone:



In small group:



In large group:


Which places does the person have significant problems using?

















Are there any community places the person goes to at times when ordinary community
members are not also present?









Are there any community places where the activities are not shared with ordinary community
members?











What other community settings would it be in the persons interest to use, or to use more
independently?
Places Map

Using the space provided overleaf and the information already gathered, map the places and
activities that are important to the person:
Put the place the person lives in the centre and the place the person spends most days
nearby.
Put other places the person spends time in, around the map. You may want to group
places by function like shopping, sports, pub etc. or put places the person goes most often
closer.
Identify the service the person attends. (If a person lives and works in the same location,
identify the various settings within that location).
Identify informal daily contact (e.g. bus-driver, postman).
Record the transportation arrangements used by the person.




































What are the barriers to sharing more community places and activities?
What would it take to increase the number of community settings the person uses
competently? (i.e. person resources including volunteers, extra financial resources, learning
new skills, changing the way services are delivered or structured).
CHOICES

Choices range from small mundane everyday things like having tea or coffee, to more
significant decisions regarding where you live, what you work at, and who you are with.

Identify the decisions the person makes for him or herself, the decisions the person makes with
support, and the decisions which are made by others. Include decisions about friends,
activities, money. Include major choices regarding job, accommodation etc.


Own choices:

Choices made with support:

Choices made by others:









What help does the person get to make choices?











How do people who make choices for the person go about finding out what preferences the
person has? Summarise your findings in the box below:
Categorise the choices you identified into daily choices, choices relating to routine scheduling,
choices relating to money matters and major choices:



Own choices:

Choices made with
support:

Choices made by
others:
Daily

Routine scheduling

Money matters

Major choices


List known personal preferences:







DIGNITY

People with disabilities are often devalued, and have a low status. Public perception is
influenced by how the person is described, how they are dressed, what they do during the day
and who they are with. Perceptions are also influenced by labels of staff, programmes and
centres and how these are explained.

What language and labels are used by professionals to describe this person?











How is the persons dignity supported with regard to privacy and personal possessions?











What roles does the person occupy?











How have these roles changed over the last few years?






Are these roles valued socially?






What would other community members see this person doing?
How would they describe this person?









What characteristics are there about the person which would contribute to a positive
reputation?











What characteristics are there about the person which would contribute to a negative
reputation?











Which of these characteristics are imposed by the conditions under which the person receives
a service?









Could any of these negative attributes be changed?
Summarise your finding in the box below:


Supporting

Not Supporting
Dignity, status, respect, reputation Dignity, status, respect, reputation
CAPACITIES, GIFTS AND INTERESTS

Each of us has activities we are interested in (photography, walking, being with friends). We
have talents or gifts (to make someone else happy, to stick at something until it is finished, to
spot when someone is upset). Our gifts may include more ordinary attributes - reliability,
having a good dress sense, being chatty, mixing easily with others, having a sense of humour,
being well-groomed, being loyal to friends, being determined. We have the capacity or ability
to learn new things, to develop particular skills, to be more assertive, to enjoy doing certain
things or being in particular places.

When answering the following questions, avoid generalisations. Some peoples interests, gifts
and capacities are hidden or not obvious. Don't cover over a lack of knowledge of capacities
with vagueness!

What does the person like doing best?









What else does the person enjoy doing?














What does the person look forward to?














When is the person most relaxed and comfortable?
When is the person bored?














What work does the person have experience of doing?




















What contributions does the person make to other peoples lives?














What are the persons present skills?
What are the persons attributes?

















Summarise this persons Capacities, Gifts, Interests using single words or short phrases:
ASSISTANCE NEEDED



In this section, consider the kinds of help the person needs or would benefit from. Begin by
examining the problems s/he faces:

What practical everyday experiences are related to this persons disability?














What situations pose a challenge for him/her?














What provides the most practical help?














What skills has the person learned and what strategies in helping have worked?
Does s/he require help or support with any health-related issues?














Where does this person get an income?









What impact does lack of finance have on the persons life?














List the Assistance Needed

Support to physical health and well being:














Assistance to deal with practical aspects of disability:
Assistance with learning:














Assistance with money issues:














Draw a web diagram to summarise the supports this person needs: