Journal on Developmental Disabilities

My name is Jodie, and I am a vocational counselor at the Chilliwack Society of Community Living where I work with participants finding their dream job. I have been working in the social service field for over 30 years and reside in the lovely community of Rosedale British Columbia.

This paper discusses the case for a professional association for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) in Ontario, Canada. Drawing on existing literature and sector knowledge, we argue that the DSP workforce meets key criteria for professional status and is well-positioned for further professionalisation. Concepts central to professionalisation including criteria for professional status, professional identity, professionalism, and regulation are briefly outlined. We then use a SWOT analysis as a framework to assess the current state of the workforce. Workforce strengths included established competencies, ethical frameworks, and a strong values base, while weaknesses include workforce fragmentation and instability. Opportunities arise from current policy directions and workforce shortages, and increased recognition of DSP roles, while threats include financial barriers, workforce strain and risks to professional identity. We argue that a professional association represents a feasible and timely mechanism to strengthen workforce identity, improve quality of support, and enhance system-level accountability. Lastly, the paper highlights the importance of inclusive design, stakeholder engagement, and DSP-led governance in advancing this work.

This reflective paper examines how direct support professional (DSP) experience functions as a foundational site of learning within social work education. Drawing on our shared DSP backgrounds and guided by Schön’s (1983) reflective practice and Fook’s (2012) model of critical reflection, we analyze how frontline disability support work generates relational, ethical, and practice‑based knowledge that is often undervalued within formal curricula. We highlight the complexity of DSP practice, including relational labour, advocacy, and moment‑to‑moment ethical decision‑making, while also acknowledging the tensions of care and control embedded in institutional systems shaped by ableism, colonialism, and risk‑averse policies. Our reflections illustrate how DSP experience enriches peer learning, exposes gaps in social work curricula related to intellectual and developmental disability, and reveals forms of epistemic injustice that marginalize experiential knowledge. We argue that integrating DSP perspectives can strengthen social work education by foregrounding disability, power, relational ethics, and the structural conditions that shape frontline practice.

Background: Participation in everyday life is central to the health and well-being of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). For many adults with IDD, opportunities for participation are shaped by the availability and quality of supports. Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), a key source of formal support, work closely with adults with IDD and play an integral role in supporting their participation in meaningful activities. Aim: The objective of this study was to understand the experiences of DSPs who provide participation support to adults with IDD at one developmental service agency in Ontario, Canada. Methods: Five virtual and in-person focus groups were conducted with 16 DSPs between December 2021 and May 2022. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Three main themes were identified that reflect staff experiences, challenges, and needs: (1) “the how of it”—the process of identifying individuals’ goals and aspirations; (2) practical challenges in supporting participation; and (3) needs moving forward. Impact: Findings highlight key practice-based insights, including opportunities, challenges, and needs related to DSPs’ work in supporting the participation of adults with IDD in everyday life.

Les ressources à assistance continue (RAC) hébergent des personnes autistes et/ou ayant une déficience intellectuelle (DI) qui manifestent un trouble du comportement (TC) ou un trouble grave du comportement (TGC). Les hommes travaillant dans ces RAC peuvent faire face à des défis en matière de santé psychologique liés à des enjeux individuels, à l’exposition à des comportements défis des usager·ères ou à des contraintes organisationnelles. L’article s’intéresse aux facteurs qui influencent le bien-être psychologique des hommes œuvrant en RAC auprès de personnes autistes et/ou ayant une DI. Cette étude qualitative exploratoire se base sur quatre entrevues de travailleurs en RAC et fait ressortir des facteurs ayant des effets sur le bien-être psychologique, dont l’usage de stratégies d’adaptation inefficaces et un manque de ressources organisationnelles. Considérés selon le modèle écosystémique, ces enjeux illustrent l’importance de tenir compte des pistes de solution à plusieurs niveaux pour améliorer le bien-être psychologique du personnel en milieu d’hébergement.