When Support Steps Back, Students Step Up

Written By: Anna O'Connor Morin, Senior Director of Education

Families often ask for a one to one (1:1) adult support person for their student because they want their child to be safe, successful, and supported—and that makes complete sense. While 1:1 support can be helpful in very specific situations, it is not always the best long-term approach for students in special education.

Most Restrictive Support

A full-time 1:1 adult is considered one of the most restrictive forms of support. It places an adult with the student at all times, which can unintentionally limit opportunities for the student to:

• Learn alongside peers

• Practice problem-solving independently

• Build confidence in their own abilities

Special education services aim to provide the least restrictive supports possible while still meeting a student’s needs.

Barriers to Independence

Although a 1:1 aide is meant to help, constant adult support can sometimes:

• Create reliance on an adult instead of learning skills independently

• Reduce motivation to try tasks on their own

• Make it harder for the student to generalize skills when the adult is not present

Our goal is to help students develop skills they can use across settings—at school, at home, and in the community.

Impact on Social Development

Having an adult nearby always can:

• Make it harder for students to interact naturally with peers

• Increase feelings of being “different” from classmates

• Limit opportunities to practice social problem-solving

Peer relationships are an important part of learning and growth.

Skill-Building vs. Support Dependence

Instead of focusing on “doing for” a student, we want to focus on teaching skills:

• Using visual supports

• Providing structured routines

• Teaching coping and self-regulation strategies

• Offering small-group or shared adult support when needed

These approaches encourage growth while still providing safety and structure.

Our Shared Goal

We all want the same thing: for students to feel safe, confident, capable, and successful—both now and in the future. By using thoughtful, less restrictive supports, we can help students build the independence they need to thrive.