Personal care participation IEP goals for students who need full support
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
A personal care participation IEP goal targets the steps of a care routine the student can own, even when an adult does the rest. Name the routine, the steps the student will do, the prompt level and a count. Example: during diaper changes, the student will lift hips on request and indicate all done with a switch on 4 of 5 changes for 3 weeks.
Some students will need an adult's hands for most of their personal care for a long time, possibly for life. That is not a reason to leave care out of the IEP. It is a reason to write goals for the parts the student can own: signaling a need, choosing, helping with a movement, directing the adult, or doing one step alone. This is often called partial participation, and it turns care from something done to a student into something done with them.
Every goal below assumes three things. The student has a way to communicate during care, whether that is speech, a switch, a sign or a gaze. Care happens in private with as few adults as possible. And the student's preferences, such as who helps and in what order, are part of the routine. The IEP team has to consider each student's communication needs, and care routines are a good place to put that into practice.[1]
The 24 goals have illustrative baselines. For goals across all areas for students with extensive support needs, start with the pillar on IEP goals for students with severe and profound disabilities. This page does not repeat its self-care goals.
How to choose the right participation goal
Watch the routine 3 times and write each step. Mark who does each one now. The steps the student can almost do, or could do with a tool, are the targets.
| What the student can do now | Participation target | Prompt level to name | Measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Responds to touch or voice, no reliable signal yet | Signal readiness or discomfort | Full physical moving to touch cue | Opportunities |
| Has a yes or no, or a switch | Make choices, direct the adult | Model moving to wait | Opportunities |
| Can move an arm, leg or head on request | Help with a movement (arms up, lift hips) | Partial physical moving to verbal | Task analysis steps |
| Can grasp and release with adaptive tools | Do 1 to 3 steps alone | Gesture moving to independent | Task analysis steps |
Templates for these routines are on the significant support needs goal page and the daily living goals page.
Toileting and changing
Privacy first: one or two familiar adults, a closed door, and the student's own words or symbols for the routine.
| Goal | Baseline | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| At scheduled times, the student will go to the bathroom at the schedule cue (picture or object) with no more than a gesture prompt on 8 of 10 cues. | 3 of 10 with physical guidance | Cues met at gesture or less |
| During scheduled sits, the student will use the toilet on at least 3 of 6 sits per day for 4 consecutive weeks. | 1 of 6 sits | Successful sits |
| The student will tell an adult about wet or soiled clothing using a symbol, sign or device within 5 minutes on 4 of 5 occasions. | 0 of 5 | Occasions signaled |
| During a lesson, the student will use a private signal for a restroom break instead of leaving or vocalizing loudly on 8 of 10 requests. | 2 of 10 | Requests with private signal |
| With grab bars and one adult spotting, the student will transfer to the toilet completing at least 4 of 6 transfer steps at a verbal prompt level on 4 of 5 trips. | 1 of 6 steps | Task analysis steps |
| During changes on the changing table, the student will lift hips on request and indicate all done with a single switch on 4 of 5 changes for 3 weeks. | 1 of 5 | Changes with both steps |
Weak: "The student will be toilet trained." Measurable: the schedule cue goal. "Toilet trained" is a finish line many students won't cross this year. Going to the bathroom at the cue with a gesture prompt is a step the student can own now.
Dressing
Dressing goals fit naturally into arrival, PE and dismissal. Use real clothing in the student's own size and style.
| Goal | Baseline | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| At arrival, the student will unzip and remove the coat after the adult starts the zipper, at a gestural prompt level on 4 of 5 days. | Full physical | Days at gesture or less |
| While seated, the student will pull elastic-waist pants up from knees to waist with partial physical help on 4 of 5 trials. | Full physical | Trials at partial physical or less |
| The student will take off a pullover shirt over the head after the adult lifts it to the shoulders, on 4 of 5 trials. | 0 of 5 | Trials completed |
| Given 2 shirts, the student will choose one by looking, reaching or using a switch, and then push each arm through the sleeve held by the adult, on 4 of 5 dressing routines. | Choice only, 2 of 5 | Routines with choice and both arms |
| When a fastener is stuck, the student will ask for help with a sign, symbol or device on 4 of 5 opportunities. | 0 of 5 | Opportunities |
| In the PE locker room, the student will change privately in the assigned space with an adult outside the curtain, completing at least 5 of 8 steps at verbal prompt level on 4 of 5 PE days. | 2 of 8 steps | Task analysis steps |
Weak: "The student will dress independently with 80% accuracy." Measurable: the pants goal. It names the movement, the starting point (knees) and the prompt level being faded.
Hygiene and grooming
Grooming is personal and tied to age. A 16-year-old's routine should look like a 16-year-old's: deodorant, a hair product they chose, a mirror at the right height.
| Goal | Baseline | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| After eating, the student will wipe face and hands using a mirror and a damp cloth, at a gestural prompt level on 4 of 5 meals. | Full physical | Meals at gesture or less |
| In front of a mirror, the student will brush hair for at least 4 strokes on each side with a built-up handle on 4 of 5 mornings. | 1 side, 2 strokes | Mornings met |
| As part of the morning routine, the student will put on deodorant with a hand-over-wrist assist fading to a touch cue on 4 of 5 days. | Adult applies | Days at touch cue or less |
| When the student needs personal care help, the student will ask privately using a discreet card or device message on 4 of 5 opportunities. | 0 of 5 | Opportunities |
| After a private cue such as a tap on the hand, the student will wipe the mouth with a cloth within 10 seconds on 8 of 10 cues. | 2 of 10 | Cues met |
| When the wristband is damp, the student will swap it for a dry one from a pouch on 4 of 5 checks. | 0 of 5 | Checks met |
Weak: "The student will improve hygiene." Measurable: the private help request goal. It respects privacy and gives the student control over when care happens.
Mealtime
Feeding and swallowing safety belong to the feeding plan written with the SLP, OT and nurse. Goals here target the student's role inside that plan.
| Goal | Baseline | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Using a built-up handle spoon, the student will scoop and bring food to the mouth with partial physical help at the wrist for at least 5 bites per meal on 4 of 5 lunches. | 1 bite | Bites per meal |
| The student will pick up finger foods to self-feed for at least 8 pieces per snack on 4 of 5 days. | 2 pieces | Pieces per snack |
| The student will drink from a straw cup held by the student with the adult steadying the base, on 4 of 5 drinks. | Adult holds cup | Drinks met |
| At snack, the student will request more food or drink using a sign, symbol or switch on 8 of 10 opportunities. | 3 of 10 | Opportunities |
| When finished, the student will signal all done with a sign, symbol or switch on 4 of 5 meals. | 1 of 5 | Meals signaled |
| When offered a food the student does not want, the student will refuse with a no-thank-you signal instead of pushing or spitting on 4 of 5 offers. | 1 of 5 | Offers refused with the signal |
Weak: "The student will eat lunch with assistance." Measurable: the finger foods goal. "With assistance" describes the adult. Pieces per snack describes what the student does.
Measuring personal care with task analysis
Most of these routines are best measured with task analysis. Break the routine into 6 to 10 steps and score each step at the prompt level the student needed. Name the prompt levels in the goal so progress from full physical to a touch counts.
Probe frequency. Score the full routine on a set schedule rather than every time it happens. For daily routines like handwashing or dressing at arrival, probe 2 or 3 times a week on the same days. For toileting, record every scheduled trip on a simple log and probe the full task analysis twice a week. Teach on every other occasion. Graph the number of steps at the target prompt level or better.
Who scores. The adult who does the care, usually right after. Keep the sheet outside the bathroom so the record stays private.
A filled-in example for the coat routine at arrival, using a 7-step task analysis. Codes: FP full physical, PP partial physical, G gestural, V verbal, I independent. Target: steps at G or better.
| Step | Mon wk 1 | Wed wk 1 | Mon wk 3 | Wed wk 3 | Mon wk 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Stop at the cubby | V | V | I | I | I |
| 2. Grasp zipper pull (adult starts) | FP | PP | PP | G | G |
| 3. Pull zipper down | FP | FP | PP | PP | G |
| 4. Shrug off one shoulder | PP | PP | G | G | I |
| 5. Pull arm out of sleeve | FP | PP | PP | G | G |
| 6. Pull second arm out | FP | FP | PP | PP | G |
| 7. Hand coat to adult or hang on hook | PP | G | G | I | I |
| Steps at G or better | 1 of 7 | 2 of 7 | 3 of 7 | 5 of 7 | 7 of 7 |
The task analysis data sheet has this layout. The IEP must describe how progress will be measured and when it will be reported.[2] A graph of steps at the target prompt level over 6 to 8 weeks shows whether the teaching plan is working.[3]
Short-term objectives
Fade one prompt level at a time, or add one step at a time. For the pants goal:
- With full physical help, the student holds the waistband for the whole pull on 4 of 5 trials.
- With partial physical help at the wrists, the student pulls from knees to waist on 4 of 5 trials.
- With a touch cue at the elbow, the student pulls from knees to waist on 4 of 5 trials.
Dignity and privacy in personal care goals
- Use age-respectful language and materials. Say "change" or "bathroom routine," not baby words. Use teen products for teens.
- Ask before touching. A spoken or signed "Ready?" before each step is good practice and a natural cue.
- Keep data private. Codes on a sheet, not comments in a shared document.
- Honor preferences. Many students and families have views about who helps. Record them and follow them where staffing allows.
Run your goal through the goal checker. For measurement methods for students who don't speak, see how to measure goals for students who do not speak. Students in life skills programs often have these goals alongside the ones in life skills IEP goals.
Frequently asked questions
What is partial participation in personal care?
It means the student does the parts of a care routine they can, such as signaling a need, choosing clothing, lifting their arms or pressing a switch, while an adult does the rest. The IEP goal targets those parts and measures them.
How do you measure personal care goals?
Use a task analysis. Break the routine into 6 to 10 steps, score each step at the prompt level the student needed, and count the steps at the target level. Probe the full routine 2 or 3 times a week and graph the result.
Should toileting goals be in the IEP?
Yes, when toileting affects the student's access to school, and many teams include them. Write the goal around a step the student can own this year, such as going at a schedule cue or signaling wet clothing, and keep the data private.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- IEP goals for significant support needs
- Task analysis measurement guide
- Toileting goals (functional skills)
- Task analysis data sheet
- IEP goal checker
Related guides
- IEP goals for students with severe and profound disabilities
- How to measure goals for students who do not speak
- Present levels examples for students with severe disabilities
- IEP goals for students who take alternate assessments
Sources
- 34 CFR §300.324: Development, review, and revision of IEP, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- 34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- Progress Monitoring: Data & Goal Setting, National Center on Intensive Intervention
Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.