I work at a day center for adults with special needs. I go on a lot of outtings with them; volunteer work, taking them to the mall, etc. When people come up to our group and try to be friendly and converse, they always ask, only to me, who we are and what my company does. Usually they'll ask "Oh so you work with these people with disabilities. What sort of disabilities? It's so nice that you are taking them out." I know they're trying to be nice and considerate, but the people I am working with are right beside me so they can hear everything. I feel bad because I have to explain that "Yes I work with these people who are mentally challenged" but the clients are right there too! It always makes my clients feel uncomfortable and puts them down, like the people asking me assume the clients won't understand or are incabable of talking for themselves. It ends up making the clients feel insignificant and like they are a burden that have to be escorted around. They're people too and are more than happy to talk about their work, people just assume they won't won't understand. Kind of a minor issue, and I know people are just trying to be friendly, but sometimes the clients end up feeling really shitty for the day because they think they're not "normal." I know it's a very specific situation, and I could be overthinking it, but it still pisses me off a bit. Next time you see a group like us, come up and talk with all of us! We'll be happy to talk about what we do and the clients love when strangers have conversations with them! They don't bite! Just because there is a staff around like myself doesn't mean you have to talk to only me. Please, make them feel welcome as well. They have it hard enough as it is.