How to Evidence Person-Centred Planning in Learning Disability Tenders

November 10, 2025

🧍Blog 2 of 7 in our Learning Disability Bid Writing Series

Links to all 7 blogs in this series are at the bottom of this post.

“We provide person-centred care.”

It’s one of the most common phrases in learning disability tenders — but it rarely scores points on its own. Commissioners have read it thousands of times, and they’re not just looking for reassurance that you use the right words. They’re looking for evidence that your service lives and breathes person-centred planning in every interaction, every plan, and every review.

In this article, we’ll explore what commissioners actually mean when they ask for “person-centred approaches,” how to prove them in your tender responses, and how a bid writer with learning disability expertise can help translate your good practice into clear, scoring language.

🧍 1. Start With the Individual, Not the Service

Commissioners want to see that you start every plan, decision, and review from the perspective of the person — not the organisation. That means your tender should show:

Who the person is — their identity, history, and aspirations
What matters to them — values, relationships, preferences, goals
How they want to live — and how your service flexes around that vision

This is the foundation of person-centred practice. It’s not about fitting people into systems, but shaping systems around people. A skilled learning disability bid writer can help you strip away organisational jargon and write responses that sound authentic, individualised, and values-led.

Example: Instead of writing “We promote choice and independence,” say “People choose their own key workers, set their own daily routines, and decide who attends their reviews. We record these choices in their communication passport and review log.”

📋 2. Avoid Generic Statements

Commissioners can spot “copy and paste” answers immediately. Generic claims like “we treat everyone as an individual” add no value unless backed up by process and evidence.

Replace general statements with specifics about your systems, tools, and examples:

How care plans are co-produced and reviewed
How communication methods are tailored to each person
How staff are trained to use visual, sensory, or AAC supports
How people’s preferred routines and risk choices are respected

Commissioners aren’t looking for perfect language; they’re looking for believable, operational detail. Even one clear example can lift a paragraph from “generic” to “credible.”

🧠 3. Tailor Examples to Learning Disability Support

Strong answers demonstrate that you understand the unique context of learning disability support — and that you adapt accordingly. This includes:

Autism-specific adjustments — quiet spaces, sensory plans, predictable transitions
Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) — proactive and preventative approaches
Accessible communication — use of easy-read materials, Talking Mats, or photo prompts
Identity and culture — respecting gender, religion, and personal expression

Each of these adjustments proves you’re not just delivering care, but delivering personalised support. Commissioners score highly when they can see how your methods create comfort, confidence, and control for people with learning disabilities.

Need structured templates to help evidence these adjustments? Try our editable method statements and editable strategies, written in commissioner-friendly formats.

📊 4. Show How People Shape Their Own Support

True person-centred planning means people have control — not just participation. Commissioners want to see how you enable this.

Do people set their own goals?
Do they choose their own activities and daily routines?
Do they review and adapt their support when things change?

High-scoring answers describe these choices and show how staff make them happen. For example:

“Each person has an ‘All About Me’ plan that includes visual prompts for daily tasks. Staff use this to structure activities and record choices, which are reviewed weekly with the person.”

It’s clear, simple, and measurable — three things commissioners love.

Our bid proofreading service for social care providers can ensure this kind of clarity and impact runs throughout your response.

🎯 5. Show How Staff Make It Happen

Person-centred practice is only as strong as the people delivering it. Commissioners look for evidence that your staff have the training, mindset, and support to embed it daily.

Describe your values-based recruitment process — how you identify empathy, communication skills, and reflective practice during hiring.
Show your training matrix — covering PCP, PBS, communication, autism, and rights-based support.
Reference supervision and reflective learning — how staff are coached to align to each person’s plan and learning outcomes.

This moves your tender beyond policy and into practice — showing commissioners that your team can sustain what you promise.

📖 6. Use Real Examples and Case Studies

Nothing shows person-centred planning better than a real story. Keep it anonymised, but specific:

“We supported an individual to use a visual shopping list and pre-paid card to regain independence after a period of anxiety. Within six months, they were shopping weekly with minimal support.”

Stories like this bring warmth and believability to your tender. Use one or two short vignettes per section to demonstrate real-world impact. They not only make your submission more readable — they make it more human.

🧩 7. Link Person-Centred Planning to Outcomes

Commissioners don’t just want reassurance that you plan support; they want to know it delivers measurable results. Show how your PCP process leads to improvements such as:

Increased community participation
Improved health and communication outcomes
Reduction in restrictive practices
Enhanced relationships or independence

Link outcomes to feedback and data — for example, quarterly reviews, satisfaction surveys, or audit summaries. Use language that shows continuous improvement, not static compliance.

🧭 8. Evidence Review and Learning Loops

Person-centred planning isn’t a one-time exercise — it’s a cycle. Commissioners value providers who demonstrate reflection and improvement.

Describe your “review loop”:

How plans are reviewed after key life events or incidents
How family and advocate input shapes updates
How supervision and team meetings embed learning
How improvements are shared across the service

This not only strengthens your bid under “Effective” and “Well-Led” but reinforces the quality and responsiveness of your service model.

🧠 9. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Listing care tasks without explaining impact
Copying policy wording from your handbook
Failing to show the person’s own voice
Overusing phrases like “individualised support” without examples

Commissioners read hundreds of submissions. The ones that stand out show, not tell — proving person-centred care with examples, not intentions.

✅ 10. How to Bring It All Together

Before submission, read your draft as if you were the assessor. Ask:

Can I see evidence that people shape their own lives?
Are there examples of choice, control, and progress?
Do I understand how staff are trained and supported?
Does this sound like a real, living service — or a policy document?

If the answers aren’t clear, it’s worth investing in support from a specialist bid writer or our proofreading and review service before you submit. Small changes in phrasing and structure can significantly boost your score.

🧠 7-Part Blog Series: Learning Disability Bid Writing

This focused blog series explores what commissioners expect in learning disability tenders — and how to present your service clearly, confidently, and competitively.