– Who decides what service users need? Drawing on the course materials, critically discuss how such decisions might be made.

Historically service users have been seen as victims who need to be protected and are in need of help. The legacy of paternalism which developed in Victorian times has been inherited by service providers. It is this legacy that the government and providers have tried to stamp out.  The main way of obtaining this was by involving service users in decision making, encouraging participation. In the 1970s the participation of service users was beginning to be valued and seen as an important contribution to the improvement of services. Service users were consulted on varying issues from housing to health and education….(short extract)