I was recently chatting to a parent of a young child with disability. He asked me what the benefits are of a support model like ours. And while I am generally able to reel off the benefits we see for Aysh, I started to think about how the model could benefit others.
Of course every child, young person, and family is different. We all have different starting points, different knowledge and strengths, and different support networks around us. But there are a few things that I think make this a great model for (almost) anyone!
Customised support
Have you ever had a piece of clothing made for you? Or tailored so it fits just right? For me it was my wedding dress. I had someone measure me and listen to my ideas. She then went away and made the adjustments, before coming back and trying it on again.
This is what building our own support service has done for Aysh. It is fully customised to what he needs – measured, shaped, and tested against his goals and interests.
Each of Aysh’s goals are broken down into achievable actions. If a goal is to develop his social connections, the whole team works together to find opportunities to meet people, share interests, and perhaps make a new friend. They test the ideas, reflect and make adjustments as they go.
Like my wedding dress, each component comes together to create the perfect fit, working with the ‘bumpy bits’ and highlighting the strengths.
Of course the flip side is the dress you find at Kmart. It looks great on the hanger, under those bright retail lights. You try it on and it feels comfortable and figure you could make it work for you. You take it home and wear it a few times, but it never feels quite right. It dips a little low in one side or doesn’t cover the bits you want it to. The same dress might look great on your friend but it just doesn’t work for you.
This is the challenge with support services. They are not customised. They are “off the shelf” and you are expected to use them as they are provided to you.
Customised supports turns this around. We think every support should be tailored, shaped to the individual, and designed to meet their needs. It is the customisation that allows us to grow and adapt quickly, so that we can always meet Aysh where he is at – and not where he was. It means we can design a system of supports around him that are designed with him, for him – and not just pick something off the shelf.
Collaboration
One of the most powerful aspects of a customised service-for-one is the level of collaboration it invites. When you build a service around a single person—like we’ve done with Aysh—you’re not just hiring support workers. You’re building a team, and that team has a shared purpose: to help one person live a rich, meaningful life.
In traditional disability support models, roles and responsibilities are often compartmentalised. A speech therapist might focus only on communication goals, a support worker might assist with transport, and a coordinator might handle scheduling—each person doing their part in isolation. In a customised model, the walls between those roles become more flexible. Everyone is working towards shared goals, with input from the person at the centre and those who know them best.
For us, collaboration starts with conversation. We talk about what’s working, what’s not, and what we’re aiming for. Team members are encouraged to bring ideas to the table—not just about their “job,” but about how we can collectively support Aysh’s development, wellbeing and aspirations. That might look like a support worker noticing a new interest and suggesting a way to explore it, or a therapist adjusting their approach based on feedback from the family. Everyone is involved in shaping the direction.
This approach not only leads to better outcomes—it builds trust and shared ownership. Team members feel valued and invested. They know their voice matters. And most importantly, the person receiving support—Aysh—benefits from a network of people who are tuned in, responsive, and aligned in purpose.
It also creates space for learning and growth. We’ve found that when people collaborate closely, their understanding of disability, person-centred practice, and even their own strengths deepens. Collaboration fosters curiosity, compassion, and innovation.
When you customise a service for one, you make room for deep relationships, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to what matters most. It’s not about ticking off tasks—it’s about working together to build something truly meaningful.
Cost Effective
At first glance, creating a customised service-for-one might seem like a more expensive option. After all, you’re not buying into a pre-packaged service or slotting into a ready-made program. But when you take a closer look, the financial picture begins to shift—dramatically.
Customisation allows you to invest in what truly matters. There’s no paying for activities that don’t align with your goals, no hidden administrative costs for services you don’t use, and no time wasted on supports that aren’t a good fit. Every hour and dollar goes directly toward the person’s real needs and aspirations.
For Aysh, that’s meant putting resources into things that make a difference—like finding the right people for his team, setting up routines that support his learning and independence, and making sure everyone involved understands his vision for a good life. We don’t spend money on things that don’t serve those outcomes. That makes a big difference over time.
There’s also financial efficiency in having a team that works collaboratively. When communication is clear and everyone knows the plan, there are fewer mistakes, fewer gaps, and less duplication. Support workers don’t need to guess what’s expected of them or waste time figuring out the context. Instead, they’re empowered to take action and adapt with confidence, knowing they’re backed by a shared understanding and consistent guidance.
And let’s not forget the long-term cost of burnout—both for families and for support staff. A poorly matched or inflexible service can lead to constant frustration, frequent turnover, and ongoing stress, all of which are emotionally and financially draining. By designing a service that fits the individual and the family, you reduce these risks significantly. Staff stay longer, relationships grow stronger, and everyone feels more stable.
In many ways, a customised model flips the script. Instead of trying to squeeze a person into a rigid, one-size-fits-all system, you build something responsive and efficient from the ground up. You spend smarter, not more. And over time, the return on that investment is not only visible—it’s deeply felt.
Future-Focused
When we first started thinking about customised support for Aysh, we weren’t just thinking about what he needed right now—we were thinking long-term. What kind of life do we want to help him build? What skills will help him thrive? What opportunities do we want to create, not just this year, but in five, ten, or twenty years?
A customised service-for-one is inherently future-focused because it’s grounded in vision. It starts with big-picture thinking: What does a good life look like for this person? How do we ensure that each day moves them a little closer to that life? It’s not just about managing needs—it’s about enabling growth, discovery, and development over time.
For Aysh, this means everything from building communication and independence to creating routines that support his wellbeing and relationships that offer genuine connection. Instead of short-term fixes, we invest in long-term strategies. We prioritise learning and skill-building, knowing that what we do today creates the foundation for greater autonomy, joy, and opportunity in the future.
Being future-focused also changes the way we evaluate success. Instead of measuring outcomes by standardised goals or quarterly progress reports, we reflect on whether our actions are aligned with Aysh’s evolving dreams and interests. Are we supporting him to live more fully? Is he growing in confidence, capability, and connection? If the answer is yes, we’re on the right track.
Customisation gives us the freedom to adapt and plan in a way that rigid service systems often can’t. It allows us to scaffold toward the future, with supports that stretch and shift as needed. Whether Aysh’s goals change or new opportunities arise, we’re not locked into a narrow path. We’re building something flexible, responsive, and deeply personal.
Ultimately, the work we do now is about preparing Aysh for the life he wants—not the one someone else imagines for him. A future-focused approach recognises that every person is growing and changing, and that support should grow and change alongside them. When you design a service around possibility instead of limitation, the future doesn’t feel uncertain—it feels open.
Reduces the Administrative and Cognitive Overwhelm
If you’ve ever tried to navigate the disability support system, you’ll know it can be incredibly overwhelming. Forms, funding categories, rosters, policies, provider meetings, training sessions, shift notes—the list goes on. For families, particularly those acting as coordinators or decision-makers, the mental load can be crushing. It’s not just the logistics, it’s the emotional weight of holding everything together.
This was one of the main reasons we chose to design a customised service-for-one for Aysh. We wanted to spend less time managing chaos and more time focusing on what matters. And what we’ve discovered is that customisation doesn’t mean more work—it actually simplifies things.
By building our own team and shaping our own systems, we cut through the noise. We don’t have to liaise with multiple agencies or fit into someone else’s scheduling system. We design our own roster. We choose the communication tools that work for us. We have one set of shared values and one clear direction. Everyone is on the same page, and that clarity reduces confusion, duplication, and stress.
We also streamline the day-to-day operations. Instead of managing layers of bureaucracy, we use simple tools to stay organised: shared documents, visual schedules, regular check-ins. And because the team is small, committed, and familiar with Aysh’s goals, we don’t have to constantly re-explain or re-orient new staff. That alone saves enormous time and energy.
Cognitive overwhelm is more than just admin. It’s the constant juggling of competing priorities, the fear of dropping a ball, and the pressure of making decisions in a system that’s not built for ease. A customised approach brings everything closer to home. It allows us to create routines that are predictable and manageable, to build relationships based on trust and mutual understanding, and to make decisions with confidence because we are in control.
We’re not spending our time chasing paperwork, clarifying misunderstandings, or waiting on slow-moving systems. Instead, we’re creating a rhythm that works for Aysh and for us. That shift—out of overwhelm and into alignment—is one of the most liberating parts of designing support around one person. It makes space for creativity, calm, and connection.
Agile
One of the greatest advantages of a customised service-for-one is how agile it can be. When you’re not tied to rigid systems, large teams, or fixed programs, you gain the ability to move quickly—responding to what’s happening right now, while still holding the long-term vision in view.
Agility means that when something isn’t working, you don’t have to wait months for a review or approval. You can pivot, adjust, experiment. If a new interest sparks for Aysh, we can lean into it—whether that means tweaking the weekly schedule, adjusting a goal, or finding a new way to support his learning. We don’t need to fill out forms or ask permission. We just talk as a team, make a decision, and take action.
This kind of responsiveness has made an enormous difference in Aysh’s life. It allows his supports to be built with him, not just around him. When his needs shift, the support shifts too. When he shows progress or encounters a challenge, we can acknowledge it, adjust the approach, and keep moving forward without disruption.
It also creates space for innovation. Because we’re not locked into someone else’s model, we can try new things. We can test different ways of working, explore new technologies, or rethink traditional roles. We can learn from mistakes without fear and celebrate small wins that wouldn’t even be recognised in a standard system. And every step of the way, we’re refining what we do—making it better, clearer, and more meaningful.
Agility also supports staff. When the team feels empowered to make decisions and adapt on the fly, their engagement and confidence grow. They’re not stuck following a script—they’re trusted collaborators, part of a living, breathing support system. That autonomy fosters ownership and pride in their work.
In a world where systems are often slow and change-resistant, agility is a breath of fresh air. It’s what allows a customised service to stay relevant, effective, and alive. For us, it’s been key to keeping Aysh’s supports not only functional but also joyful and full of possibility.
The Value of a Customised Service-for-One
Creating a customised service-for-one isn’t just about doing things differently—it’s about doing things with purpose, clarity, and heart. It’s about building a life around a person, not a person around a system. For our family, and for Aysh, it has been transformational.
We’ve seen firsthand how this model encourages deep collaboration, where everyone is aligned and working toward shared goals. We’ve learned that it can be cost effective—not because it’s cheap, but because every dollar is intentional. We’ve discovered the power of future-focused planning, where each decision builds toward a long-term vision rather than a short-term fix. We’ve experienced the relief of simplifying the admin and cognitive load, freeing us to focus on what really matters. And we’ve embraced agility, knowing that the freedom to adapt is what makes this model sustainable and strong.
A customised service-for-one puts the individual at the centre and gives families the tools, flexibility, and confidence to create meaningful, life-enhancing support. It’s not always easy—but it is possible. And in our experience, it’s absolutely worth it.
When support is tailored, responsive, and built on real relationships, the outcomes go far beyond checklists and reports. They show up in daily life—in joy, in progress, in connection, and in possibility. That’s the real value of a customised service-for-one. It works because it’s built with love, with intention, and with the courage to imagine more.
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