3. My right to support

A lady explaining something on paper to a man

Everyone has the right to get support to make decisions.

A boy pointing at a collection of people’s faces to show choosing

The support you need might be different for every decision.
It is important to think about who you want your support person to be.

A happy group of five people

We sometimes say supporters when we talk about support people.

A dentist shaking hands with another person

There are 2 types of supporters
These are:

  • Your close supporters
  • Other supporters
An elderly disabled person and their close supporter

Your close supporters are people who

  • Know you for a long time
  • Know what you like and do not like
  • Are people you trust

Your close supporters might be

  • Family
  • Friends
  • Support workers
A supporter shaking hands with a disabled person

Other supporters are people who do not know you as well as your close supporters.
They may know you for a short part of your life.

Team of support workers with person with disability in the center

They might be workers or people who offer to help you.

A happy group of people showing a circle of support

Your close supporters and your other supporters are part of your circle of support.

A boy pointing at a collection of people’s faces to show choosing

You might choose a different supporter for different decisions.

A suppoter helping a disabled person

A good supporter should

  • Know me well
  • Be someone I trust
  • Listen to me
  • Help me work out what I want
  • Give me information in a way I can understand
  • Help me make decisions happen

Watch Luke and Sidharth talk about good supporters.

This circle of support worksheet can help you think about who your supporters are.

Portrait of Lily