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People have the right to make choices if they can.
Knowing how to choose is a skill. Often, it can be learned.
Health professionals sometimes assume that people with intellectual disability will not be able to choose.
In fact, people with intellectual disability have a range of abilities. Some:
- can choose with no help
- need support to choose
- cannot choose.
Health professionals need to find out if the person has the skills to make the choice. This is called capacity to decide.
Supported decision making is when you make your own choices with help from people you trust. These people help you understand information and think about what might happen. Then you decide what you want to do. is when people get the information, tools, time and support they need to make their own choices. It gives people control over their own lives. It respects the health rights of people with intellectual disability.