Paving Our Path Together: Reflections on Vision, Change, and Family Leadership
What does a good life look like for someone you love? And who gets to decide?
These questions sat at the heart of an event I attended recently called Paving Our Path Together.
It began with a powerful premise - the family as the natural authority. From there, the discussion moved into the scale of Ireland's disability services: €3.2 billion in funding - a number that highlights both opportunity and complexity. We spoke about how knowledge is power, especially in the context of the UNCRPD (United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities). Understanding our rights helps us have stronger, more informed conversations with services. We are stronger together.
But one question lingered for me: How do we break the pattern of inertia?
While there's a shift from institutionalised to managed care, the system still wasn't designed to start with the person - and that remains our challenge. We strengthen our own knowledge, hold our own power, and create our own vision. When we "knowledge up," we can have more powerful conversations - and with that, more opportunities to break the cycle of inertia. But more than that, bringing families together to share and learn from one another helps us "knowledge and power up" as a collective.
And then we turned to what matters most: vision.
When we turned to vision, something shifted. We were reminded that vision is like a compass - it points us toward a good life. We were encouraged to reclaim our hopes and dreams as if disability didn't exist. It reminded me of Social Care Future's vision: "We all want to live in the place we call home, with the people and things that we love, in communities where we look out for one another, doing the things that matter to us."
Simple. Universal. And still so far from reality for too many people.
In one of the exercises, I found myself struggling to write down a new vision - perhaps because I've done that work before. Yet what did come through clearly was this: The possibility of our daughter having her own front door one day. It's a small sentence that carries so much meaning - independence, interdependence, belonging, safety, and the chance to live life on her own terms, as her vision and choices evolve.
Vision needs tools
Having a vision is essential. But vision alone won't change systems. Families need practical tools to make that vision real. Tools that capture what matters to the person. That help support teams deliver consistent, person-centred care. That give families the capacity to focus on living, not just coordinating.
That's why inCharge exists. Not to replace the vision - but to help make it possible.
Because a good life isn't just about big dreams. It's about the daily realities that either support or undermine those dreams: the routines that work, the continuity that builds trust, the small details that keep someone's life feeling like their life. That's the path we're paving together - one vision, one possibility, one act of courage at a time.
Join us
For families: Our Early Adopter Programme is open - join families already using inCharge across the UK, Ireland, and Australia.
For local authorities: Contact us to book a demo and see how inCharge supports self-directed care in practice.
Get in touch: hello@inchargehq.com