The “little things” in disability services aren’t little at all

Elizabeth Shea, December 1, 2025

I am often asked by families (some clients, some friends, some people I just met) which disability service providers are the “good ones”. It’s a tough question to answer since I have seen individuals with disabilities and their families have such varied experiences with so many different providers. With that said, one common theme that I see across is the board is that a family’s experience with a service provider is often shaped far more by the small, everyday details than by anything in a brochure or on a website.

As a mom, I think about this a lot. For example, I care that my son has good, enjoyable food. I want him to have meals he actually likes, food that feels familiar and comforting, and not just whatever is available. It’s such a simple thing, but it’s also a way of saying, “I see you.”

Families of people with I/DD feel the same. When a parent walks into a program and sees meals that look unappetizing, overly restricted, or disconnected from their child’s preferences, it sends a message … even if no one says a word. All the fancy smart technology and marble countertops in the world do very little to combat this impression.

The lesson? Details matter.  Food matters. Those are the things that shape dignity, comfort, routine, and belonging. And if you can’t get these things “right”, a family has very little confidence that you can get the rest of it “right”.