Supporting your decision-making

Introduction

The previous chapters have covered how to gather your supporters and start to build a picture of the future you want to create. The next step is to put some structure in place for how you will approach decision-making with your support team.

From the very beginning it is important to set out:

• what decisions you want help with

• who you want to provide that help

• what rules or systems you want to guide the decision-making processes

• how you want to be involved, if you are delegating decision-making to others.

Many people struggle with making choices or communicating their preferences, so it is vital that your support team have a clear framework for how you want them to support you with this. You should be informed about and guiding any decisions that are made, even if you are sharing the responsibility for decision-making with members of your support team. Contributing to this process, step by step, will give you confidence that these are the right choices for you.  

Note: While there is significant benefit in having these discussions with your support team from the very beginning, it is never too late to raise a concern if you are not comfortable with how decisions are being made.

Common decisions when planning for change

While the path to a new living situation will be different for everyone, common decisions you may be faced with include:

in the planning stages –

• deciding on what it is you want to achieve

• deciding how and when to action your ideas (including step-by-step tasks to gather and respond to information)

• deciding on, and putting in place, the supports you need to make this change possible (e.g. gathering your support team, accessing funding);

in the actioning stages –

• deciding on the who/what/where/when of your new living situation

• setting budgets and making financial commitments (e.g. budgeting, rental agreements)

• making decisions about the people you want around you (hiring supports, choosing flatmates)

• setting up your housing situation (e.g. power companies, internet plans)

• finding compromises

• navigating unexpected situations.

Some of these decisions will be straightforward but most will have multiple factors to consider. Creating a framework to guide your decision-making – even if it is quite simple to start with – can be a great way to ensure you and your support team have a clear understanding of how you intend to work together. You can build on this as you progress through the stages.

What is a decision-making framework?

A decision-making framework is a set of rules or strategies that define how you and your support team should approach decisions in different areas of your life. There is no one way to create this framework but, no matter the method you use, it is important to include:

• the type of decision or the area of your life where the rule applies

• how you want other people to be involved  

• what you want to be responsible for yourself

• how the final decision will be made.

For example, in the case of signing a rental agreement, a person may decide to involve their support team in the financial and practical aspects of decision-making but retain the responsibility of seeing the house and deciding if it is somewhere they want to live. They might decide that they can say no to a potential property, but they can’t say yes if a chosen person on their support team does not think it’s a suitable option.

Decision-making roles in your support team

The first step in building a framework for decision-making is to identify who, other than yourself, has the authority to support your decision-making and confirm decisions on your behalf, and in what capacity.

There is no blanket rule (one that everyone must follow), and the people on your support team will have different skills and experiences too, so it is common to have different people supporting you for separate parts of the process.  

For example, there might be someone actively involved in helping you decide on the type of living situation you want to create and the supports you want to put in place, and someone different who helps with the setting up of household finances or chore rosters.  

These roles typically fall in one of two categories: informal strategies or legal structures.  

Informal strategies for decision-making

Informal strategies are the approaches that you and your support team take when making decisions. They are strategies that you put in place because you find them helpful, rather than something that you have to adhere to. These informal strategies can be updated and adjusted as needed.  

There are many parts of decision-making that you could seek support for. What you choose to put in place will be guided by your strengths and past experiences.  

These roles could include:

• Advisor – a person who helps you understand complex situations and provides ideas and insight about the best pathways forward.  

• Administrative support – enabling someone in your support team to make choices that simplify the process for you, such as shortlisting properties or choosing power companies.

• Financial or contract decisions – having someone on your support team who advises you on ‘big’ decisions that impact your finances or ongoing commitments, such as rental agreements.

• Authorised contacts (accounts and agencies) – for certain organisations, you may want to delegate someone else as the key contact person; often, organisations will take this person’s directions as though they came from you. 

• Final decision (veto) – if you have a history of making choices that do not serve you well in the long term, you might elect to have someone you trust who can override decisions when they are not in line with a plan you have previously decided on. This is not a legal authority over your decisions, just an agreement that if that person says it is a bad idea, you will listen to them.  

Legal structures for decision making

In Aotearoa New Zealand there are legal structures for decision-making support that are applicable in some specific situations. There is in-depth legislation around the criteria for each of these structures. Many people with disabilities do not have a legal structure in place, but it is vital to know if one is in place when starting on this journey as it might impact your decision-making strategies and approach.

The common legal structures are:

• Welfare Guardianship  

• Order to administer/manage property

• Enduring Power of Attorney.

These decision-making supports are only in place when applied for through lawyers and/or court processes. If you think that legal support for decision-making is required in your situation, then it is best to seek legal advice before going any further.  

Note: While legally appointed to support you with decision-making, all of these roles come with the obligation that you are included in that process.

Using tools or systems for decision-making

Many people struggle with making complex decisions. The more abstract the thing that needs to be decided, the more complex the decision-making can be.  

Everyone has their own communication preferences and approaches that support them to make the most informed decisions possible. It can be useful to consider the different factors that make decision-making easier or harder for you. Some considerations could include:

• the opportunity to discuss a situation

• space to think about it alone

• having information and choices presented in a written or visual format

• long timeframes to consider all the details

• tight timeframes to make clear decisions.

Some people also have established communication and decision-making tools and techniques, such as Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). For others, this may be something to start putting in place to enable active decision-making.  

If you are not a confident decision-maker, it can be hard to stay at the centre of the decision-making process. However, for this new home to work in the long term, it is important that you are able to have your say throughout the process. Taking time to talk with people about how you like to make decisions and how people can support you is worth the effort.

Prioritising efficiency or involvement

Decision-making often comes down to a question of efficiency vs involvement.  

On one hand, it can be quicker for one person to do all the research and take action, but that often leads to others being left out of the process. On the other hand, consulting with multiple people on every decision can be stressful when under pressure to meet timelines.  

For example, when you are trying to rent a home, you might need to visit a house, fill in an application and make a decision quickly, or risk missing out on the property you want.  

Knowing how you will handle these situations can be helpful in deciding who needs to be involved in certain types of decisions. It might be more appropriate for you, or for members of your support team, to be left out of certain decisions once you have identified your areas of priority.  

Appetite for risk

As a collective, it is a good idea to talk about some of the key principles that might guide the decisions you are making. Being ‘on the same page’ about key factors such as appetite for risk can be really helpful.  

Appetite for risk refers to how comfortable you are with the reality that things could go wrong.  

It can be helpful to ask yourselves questions like:

• Is it OK to make small poor financial decisions that mean you need to dip into savings or seek additional support for a week or two?

• Is it OK to invite a person you just met at the bus stop back to your house?

• What is the threshold where a poor decision becomes a bigger problem?

• If you have to pick between a support roster that is safest and one that will maximise fun and skill-building, where is the balance?

Most of these questions do not have a right and a wrong answer. They are about preferences, opinions and a shared vision. By addressing this type of questioning, you and your support team will be better equipped to make decisions when the answer is not obvious, which will reduce the risk of disagreements further down the track.

Note: There will be an opportunity to look at specific elements of risk in the coming chapters. Managing risks (Stage 2, Chapter 6) will take you through how to at plan for risk in your specific situation.

Navigating compromise

This home you are working towards is a significant step in building the life you want. It is important to remember, however, no home will ever be perfect. There is a strong probability compromises will need to be made.  

Knowing how you will make decisions and what compromises you are comfortable with will make the pathway ahead much smoother.

In Stage 2 – Taking the first steps you will have the opportunity to work through your ideas for what this new living situation could look like. It is important to continue to discuss priorities and expectations with your support team as you progress through the stages, and to communicate your non-negotiables (must-haves) alongside the things you are willing to compromise on.

Where to start

Define your decision-making preferences

In Exploring your ‘good life’ (Stage 1, Chapter 2) you defined your values and priorities in a format that can be easily shared with your support team. Doing the same for the things that impact your decision-making can be equally powerful in ensuring your supporters understand the support you need and want for the journey ahead.

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Next steps

1. Read through the example scenarios below.

2. Use the ‘Define your decision-making preferences’ worksheet to create an outline of the things that help you, the things that don’t, and the principles you want to use to guide your support team when it comes to decision-making.