What is supported decision-making?

Supported decision-making means helping someone make their own choices. A person might need support to:

• gather information
• make information easier to understand
• look at the good and bad points of each option
• think about what matters to them
• understand the decision
• make the decision
• feel confident 
• put the decision into action

Having this support respects their right to make decisions about their life. Supported decision-making is based on two human rights:

• Everyone has the right to make their own choices.
• Everyone has the right to support and make their own choices.

Supported decision-making involves a decision-maker and one or more supporters.

The decision maker

• chooses the supporter
• is at the centre
• makes the decision

The supporter

• can be anyone that the decision-maker trusts. They may be a family member, friend, someone who supports the decision-maker as a job, or a professional.
• gets to know what is important to the decision-maker and what support works best for them
• helps the decision-maker to understand and think about options

Supported decision-making can be helpful for all sorts of life decisions. Whatever the decision, the decision-maker has the right to be supported to make their own decisions wherever possible.

Supported decision-making can help people decide day-to-day things like:

• What to eat
• What to wear
• How to spend free time.

Supported decision-making can help people make lifestyle choices like:

• Special diets
• Exercise habits
• Relationships

Supported decision-making can help people make life-changing decisions like:

• Medical care
• Money matters
• Work options