Therapies & Support
Setting Support Goals That Reflect the Autistic Person’s Priorities
Make the person's chosen activity and reason for valuing it central to a support goal.
Archive edition: 29 June 2026 · assigned for archive organisation
A support goal should explain what the autistic person wants or needs to make possible in everyday life. It should also identify the help required to get there. A goal that is easy for a service to count is not automatically the goal that matters most to the person receiving support.
This guide offers a practical way to discuss priorities with a provider, family member or support team. It is not a substitute for assessment or informed consent. Its purpose is to make the person’s preferences, the proposed outcome and the review process visible.
At a glance
- Start with an activity or experience that matters to the person.
- Separate their priority from the preferences of family, staff or a service.
- Describe both the outcome and the support needed to pursue it.
- Review comfort, choice, effort and everyday usefulness alongside any measured progress.
Start with the person’s own priorities
NICE’s public guidance for autistic adults describes care planning that considers preferences, communication, sensory needs and previous support. It is UK guidance, not a statement of Canadian service eligibility. The individual focus is useful when preparing a goal discussion.
Ask what the person would like to do more easily, continue doing or have more choice about. They may want to join a hobby group, manage an appointment or make a familiar routine less tiring. Maintaining something valuable can be a meaningful goal; every plan does not need to demand a new achievement.
Use the person’s preferred communication methods and allow time to consider options. A quick answer to an unfamiliar question may not reveal their priorities. Offer concrete choices where useful, while leaving room for an idea that is not on the prepared list.
Separate different people’s perspectives
Family members, staff and providers may have important observations and responsibilities. Record those alongside the autistic person’s account rather than blending them into one voice. “The parent is worried about the morning schedule” and “the child wants more time to finish breakfast” describe related but distinct concerns.
Ask what each proposed goal is intended to improve and for whom. If the answer centres only on making a person appear less different, return to the practical effect on their life. A support plan should be able to explain its purpose in terms of meaningful participation, wellbeing or a clearly identified need.
The National Joint Committee’s Communication Bill of Rights describes principles supporting communication, choices and participation. It is a professional statement rather than Canadian legislation. It provides a useful prompt to consider how a person can express agreement, disagreement and a different preference during planning.
Turn a broad wish into a concrete discussion
A broad wish such as “be more independent” may hide several different activities. Ask which activity matters now and what would make it more manageable. Be specific enough that the person and provider can recognise the intended change.
| Broad starting phrase | Question to clarify | More concrete discussion |
|---|---|---|
| Improve independence | Which activity does the person want more control over? | Choosing and preparing part of a meal with agreed assistance |
| Improve communication | What does the person need to express, and to whom? | Having a reliable way to ask for a change during appointments |
| Join more activities | Which activity is actually preferred? | Trying a chosen club with a usable arrival and break plan |
| Manage routines | What part is difficult and what already helps? | Preparing for a regular journey with a clear sequence and backup contact |
These examples are not prescribed goals. The person may choose something different or decide that the proposed activity is not important to them. The table is a way to make the conversation more precise, not a checklist of what autistic people should achieve.
Ask what information is still needed before choosing an intervention. A goal can be clear while the best route remains uncertain. Assessment should help explore that uncertainty rather than being treated as a formality after a method has already been selected.
Include the support, environment and resources
The Ontario occupational therapy assessment and intervention standard calls for goals linked to the person’s context and plans developed and reviewed with clients. It also addresses available resources. These requirements apply to Ontario occupational therapy; other providers should explain their own professional standards and process.
Write down the help that is part of the goal. This may include an accessible explanation, a communication tool, assistance from another person or a change to the setting. Do not quietly remove that support from the definition of success.
Ask who will provide the arrangement and whether it is available where the activity happens. A plan depending on a quiet room or trained support person needs a practical answer about access. If that resource is missing, record the gap rather than attributing the difficulty entirely to the individual.
Agree the plan and its limits
- Choose: identify the activity and the person’s reason for valuing it.
- Specify: describe the desired outcome, support and practical arrangements.
- Review: check whether it helps in daily life and whether the person still wants it.
Ask the provider to explain the proposed approach, alternatives, expected benefits and possible burdens. Clarify what would happen during sessions and between visits. Agree how the person can ask for a pause, raise a concern or revisit the goal.
In a fictional example, Leila wants to attend a local art session but finds the arrival process confusing. She chooses a goal about joining the activity with a clear arrival plan and a way to request help. The review considers whether she enjoyed and could access the session, not simply whether she stayed for a fixed duration.
If several people are involved, identify one person responsible for keeping the written plan current. Share information through agreed channels and avoid creating competing versions. Record which decisions are settled and which still require discussion.
Review progress in a way that reflects the goal
Ask how progress will be observed without turning every day into a test. A brief note about the actual activity may be more useful than collecting many numbers unrelated to the person’s priority. Use any formal measures in context rather than allowing them to replace the goal.
Include questions about effort and comfort. An activity completed once with substantial distress is not the same as an activity the person can use reliably and wants to repeat. Ask what support was present and what changed in the setting.
Priorities can change. Revisit the goal after a transition, new health concern or clear expression of a different preference. Changing a plan can reflect better understanding, not failure. Keep useful support in place while discussing what should happen next.
Common questions
Does a goal have to focus on learning a new skill?
No. A goal may involve maintaining participation, reducing a barrier or obtaining more reliable support. Ask what outcome matters to the person and why it is useful in their current circumstances.
What if the person does not answer a goal-setting question?
Try a more accessible format, concrete options or more time. Consider familiar activities and communication methods. Avoid treating a lack of an immediate spoken answer as proof that the person has no preferences.
Can family priorities be included?
Yes, but identify whose concern each priority represents. Discuss how it relates to the autistic person’s wellbeing and choices. Keeping perspectives distinct makes disagreements easier to understand and address.
Should independence always mean doing something alone?
No. Greater control over an activity can include appropriate assistance or equipment. State the support that belongs in the plan instead of defining success as the absence of all help.
What if a provider suggests a standard goal?
Ask how it connects to the person’s actual activity and priorities. A familiar goal may be relevant, but its purpose should be explained rather than assumed from a diagnosis or programme template.
How many goals should we choose?
Choose a manageable number with the person and provider. Consider available time, resources and the work involved. A focused plan is easier to review than a long list with unclear priorities.
What if the person and provider disagree?
Clarify the reasons, information and alternatives behind each view. Ask how the service handles unresolved concerns and consent. Do not hide disagreement by writing a goal that implies everyone has agreed.
Is completing a task enough to show success?
Consider whether the outcome is useful, repeatable and acceptable to the person. Record the support and circumstances involved. Comfort, effort and choice can matter alongside task completion.
Can a goal change after support begins?
Yes. Discuss changes when priorities, circumstances or understanding shift. Update the plan and review arrangements so that everyone knows what is now being pursued and why.
What should the written goal include?
Use plain language to identify the activity, intended outcome, relevant support, responsibilities and review point. Keep the person’s reason for choosing it visible. Avoid wording so technical that the person cannot use it.
Sources
- NICE: How do I get help for autism? Adult public guidance.
- NJC: Communication Bill of Rights, third edition.
- COTO: Standard for Assessment and Intervention, 2023.
The examples and goal-writing process are editorial aids for a collaborative discussion, not individual clinical recommendations.
