Aġenzija Sapport organised a national conference with the theme "My Life: Developing a National Framework for Individualised Lifelong Support for Persons with Disabilities."

This conference marks an important moment in the national journey toward a more integrated system, where support for persons with disabilities is focused on their needs, choices, and aspirations, a government statement read.

Many persons with disabilities and their families end up navigating different plans - medical, educational, and social - which often are not connected, it said. "This leads to duplication, lack of coherence, and at times an emotional and administrative burden on the person and those close to them. The new framework being developed aims to eliminate these fragmentations and create a unified system that follows the person with a disability throughout every phase of their life."

"This was the idea behind the conference, which provided a space where professionals from health, education, and the social sectors discussed the challenges they face and the opportunities for reform. The conference placed special emphasis on the concept of co-production, where persons with disabilities actively participate in planning their own lives. The Individual Support Plan (ISP) should become a tool that not only coordinates services but also reflects the person's voice, dreams, and choices."

This discussion is also directly linked to the national personal assistance plan and the introduction of personal budgets, which are expected to give persons with disabilities more direct control over how they live their lives, the government statement read.

The Minister for Inclusion and Volunteering, Julia Farrugia, said that "a country that aspires to social justice needs one united system that places the person at the centre. This framework will not only harmonise all life plans - medical, educational, social, and financial - but will also give the person control, choice, and empowerment. This is the beating heart of this conference and of our political commitment."

The Chief Executive of Aġenzija Sapport, Oliver Scicluna, emphasised the way forward regarding the planning of individual support for persons with disabilities, stating that persons with disabilities should be given support to find their own path and their own independence with assistance. "Individualised plans should not be administrative exercises but strong tools that help persons with disabilities throughout their lives to reach their aspirations with support, rather than disjointed efforts that start and end within a single sector's service."

This conference was attended by various guests and experts in the field, all playing an important role in contributing to the national discussion on lifelong individualised support. Among them were Katie McVey, Chief Operating Officer of Enable; Professor Alexei Dingli, who explained how artificial intelligence can support the creation and management of ISPs; and Estelle Houtart from the European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD). There was also a panel including representatives from the health sector, the social sector, the education sector, as well as the perspective of a parent and the experience of a person with a disability. Additionally, Estelle Houtart from EASPD presented the latest European developments on the framework for independent living.