One of the important concepts I have learnt within the last 10 years is that of outcomes as a way of assessing the level and type of social care support a person may require. It enables need to be proper assessed and I feel has the potential to bring the social model more into social care policy and practice.  


Before individual outcomes were assessed, need-led assessment had hidden outcomes dictated and controlled by the assessor. Since there were not only hidden but informally realised, it was based on the assessor’s individual viewpoint dependent on a range of uncontrolled factors.


Defining individual outcomes enables both users and assessors to establish the map and its boundaries in which needs and resources can hang upon. It enables improved co-production where assessment decisions are challengeable. It may not always be perfectly executed but it is indeed a start.


For more information on supporting outcomes, please do visit; 


http://www.simonstevens.com/supportingoutcomes