“We Need to Be Able to Connect With People.” Leveraging Direct Support Professionals’ Perspectives to Advance Social Inclusion

Social inclusion is an important quality of life indicator; however, many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) continue to be excluded. Although direct support professionals (DSPs) can be integral to fostering the inclusion of people with IDD, there is a lack of empirical inquiry regarding their perspectives and experiences in this domain. Through semi-structured interviews, this study explores the beliefs and experiences of DSPs (n = 21) surrounding social inclusion. A constructive grounded theory approach to analysis revealed four major categories: balancing role responsibilities and individual preferences, DSPs as gatekeepers to inclusion, systemic barriers to inclusion, and creating opportunities for inclusion. By better equipping DSPs with inclusion-specific resources and skills, there is substantial potential to advance social inclusion.