Brothers of Charity Services both at national level and locally in Roscommon are continuing to look at ways to improve the services we provide to adults and children with intellectual disabilities and their families. We aim to do this by ensuring that the services that we offer are responsive to the wishes of service users and their families. As a service we need to be able to measure our progress in reaching this goal, in other words we need to have a system in place whereby we can measure the quality of life for individual service users and the quality of the service that supports them in achieving their desired quality of life.

One such quality system is ‘Personal Outcomes Measures — The Key To Quality in Services and Supports’.
This system was developed in the United States of America by the Council on Quality and Leadership in Supports for People with Disabilities.

The Brothers of Charity Services propose to introduce this quality system to its services nationally. It will be used in conjunction with the current evaluation system ‘How Are We Doing’ which was developed by the organisation and has been in operation since 1996.

What are Personal Outcome Measures?
Personal Outcomes are what people expect from the supports and services they receive. They focus on expectations and issues that matter most to people in their lives.

We learn about Personal Outcomes only when we talk to the person and learn what is important to them and why.
Identity
People choose personal goals.
People choose where and with whom they live.
People choose where they work.
People have intimate relationships.
People are satisfied with services.
People are satisfied with their personal life situations.

Autonomy
People choose their daily routine.
People have time, space and opportunity for privacy.
People decide when to share personal information.
People use their environments.
People live in integrated environments.

Affiliation
People participate in the life of the community.
People interact with other members of the community.
People perform different social roles.
People have friends.
People are respected.

Attainment
People choose services.
People realise personal goals.

Safeguards
People are supported to natural support networks.
People are safe.

Rights
People exercise rights.
People are treated fairly.

Health and Wellness
People have the best possible health.
People are free from abuse and neglect.
People experience continuity and security.
Further Information
For further information, please contact Jodie Healy and Margaret Glacken at (090) 6628500.