What is partial participation in the context of Direct Support?

Partial participation refers to the involvement of an individual in specific tasks or activities while still requiring some level of support to engage effectively. This concept recognizes that not everyone can participate fully or independently due to various challenges or disabilities, but they can still take part in a meaningful way.

In this context, it’s important to understand that partial participation allows individuals to contribute to tasks while receiving the necessary support that facilitates their involvement. This could mean that they might perform part of the task, receive help with certain steps, or use adaptive tools or strategies that enable their participation. The focus is on encouraging involvement and promoting the individual’s abilities rather than solely on achieving full independence.

This concept contrasts with full independence, where an individual can complete a task without support, and with options that suggest non-participation or solely independent involvement without acknowledging the need for support, which does not align with the principles of Direct Support Professional practices.