Involving Families in Person-Centred Planning: How Much Is Too Much?

August 2, 2025

Blog 1 of 7 – Part of our series on involving families and advocates in person-centred planning.
Scroll to the bottom for links to explore all seven blogs in the series.

👥 Involving families and advocates is about more than communication — it's about partnership. Here's how to get it right in a person-centred way.

👥 Why Involving Families and Advocates Matters

Person-centred care doesn’t happen in isolation. For many individuals who draw on care and support, family members and advocates play a vital role in shaping what matters, what works, and what feels right. Whether it’s a parent of an adult with learning disabilities (something commissioners want to see reflected in learning disability tenders), a friend acting as an informal advocate, or a professional IMCA, these voices bring insight that providers simply can’t get elsewhere.

Commissioners are increasingly looking for evidence that services:

Engage proactively with family and advocates
Build these relationships into care planning and reviews
Have processes to capture and respond to their input

This is particularly important in domiciliary care bids and home care submissions, where staff often work alone and family voices become an essential safeguard. It’s not just about being open to involvement. It’s about actively creating the space and mechanisms for it to happen — even when views may differ.

🛠️ Practical Ways to Involve Families and Advocates

Invite them into the planning process: Ensure families and advocates are included from the outset when developing support plans, not just reviewing them later.
Adapt communication styles: Use plain English, visual formats, or supported decision-making tools to help everyone take part meaningfully.
Record their input: Show how family or advocate feedback has shaped decisions. This is especially useful evidence in CQC inspections and tender submissions. Many providers use our proofreading services to make sure this evidence reads clearly and persuasively.
Respect boundaries: Ensure the individual receiving care remains at the centre — even when families or advocates have strong views.

Involving others isn’t about handing over control — it’s about building a shared understanding and working together in the person’s best interests.

💼 Rapid Support Products (fast turnaround options)

⚡ 48-Hour Tender Triage
🆘 Bid Rescue Session – 60 minutes
✍️ Score Booster – Tender Answer Rewrite
🧩 Tender Answer Blueprint
📝 Tender Proofreading & Light Editing
🔍 Pre-Tender Readiness Audit
📁 Tender Document Review

🚀 Need a Bid Writing Quote?

If you’re exploring support for an upcoming tender or framework, request a quick, no-obligation quote. I’ll review your documents and respond with:

A clear scope of work
Estimated days required
A fixed fee quote
Any risks, considerations or quick wins

📄 Request a Bid Writing Quote →

🔁 Prefer Flexible Monthly Support?

If you regularly handle tenders, frameworks or call-offs, a Monthly Bid Support Retainer may be a better fit.

Guaranteed hours each month (1, 2, 4 or 8 days)
Discounted day rates vs ad-hoc consultancy
Use time flexibly across bids, triage, library updates, renewals
One-month rollover (fair-use rules applied)
Cancel anytime before next billing date

Explore Monthly Retainers →

🚀 Ready to Win Your Next Bid?

Chat on WhatsApp or email Mike.Harrison@impact-guru.co.uk

Updated for Procurement Act 2023 • CQC-aligned • BASE-aligned (where relevant)

📚 Explore the full series on involving families and advocates in person-centred planning: