Practices Changes in the Child Protection System to Address the Needs of Parents With Cognitive Disabilities

A father nevertheless: Self-confident but resigned fathers with children in foster care

This qualitative study aimed to explore the experiences of nine fathers with neurodevelopmental disabilities with children in foster care, including their fathering role, visits and formal and informal support. Systematic text condensation was the analysis method used. The respondents' experience of fatherhood revealed two categories: I accept my situation and I am frustrated. Though self-confident, the fathers expressed ambivalence between acceptance and frustration with their role. The study shows that more should be done to provide adapted support for these vulnerable fathers with children in foster care, although they seldom demand such support. Social workers and professionals from the rehabilitation team within the healthcare service should be aware of gendered settings, specifically norms of masculinity. Increased efforts from the social workers may reduce the risks of detachment in parenthood because engaged and informed fathers are in the children's best interests.

Efficacy of a school-based intervention to influence attitudes about future parenting among Swedish youth with intellectual disability: An RCT study

BACKGROUND

The study aim was to investigate the efficacy of an intervention designed to provide a basis for informed choices about future parenthood to special upper secondary school students with intellectual disabilities.

METHODS

A randomised trial with a waiting list control group was used. In total, 108 special upper secondary school students with mild or moderate intellectual disabilities, age 16-21 years, provided informed consent and participated. The intervention included education using the Parenting Toolkit and a Real Care Baby simulator. The analyses included 91 students (intervention group n = 46, 24F/22M; control group n = 45, 26F/19M).

RESULTS

The result showed that intervention group changed their attitudes to future parenting, from 'do not know' to 'know', significantly more than control group. The intervention increased knowledge levels in the intervention group.

CONCLUSIONS

The intervention group showed increased ability to make informed choices and decisions about parenthood.

Parenting with a physical disability and cognitive impairments: a scoping review of the needs expressed by parents

PURPOSE

Parents, whose daily activities are limited by a disability, account for 6.2% of the American population with minor children. Considering the prevailing knowledge gaps concerning parents with a physical disability and cognitive impairments, there is an urgency to instigate an investigation of their unmet needs. In this study, we will examine the scope of literature relating to the specific needs of parents with a physical disability and cognitive impairments in early child rearing occupations.

METHODS

A scoping review of peer-reviewed literature was conducted by two independent raters in four databases (CINAHL, EMBASE, Medline, PsycINFO). Data were extracted and analyzed numerically and thematically using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

RESULTS

Twenty-nine studies were included for review representing the needs of 113 parents. Emerging needs related to 15 ICF categories and three corresponding themes: parents' (1) needs when engaging with their young children, (2) personal needs in and outside the home, and (3) needs navigating the health system.

CONCLUSIONS

The unmet needs of parents with a physical disability and cognitive impairments legitimize the development of clinical services for this population. Future research should focus on developing assessments and interventions specific to parental needs in child rearing occupations.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONAdults with a physical disability and cognitive impairments who parent young children have unmet needs with regards to engaging in child rearing, meeting their personal needs, and navigating the health system.Studies reporting on the impact of impairments on parenting mostly focus on elucidating physical impairments and less so cognitive impairments.Developing a more comprehensive understanding of parental needs will inform further development of targeted assessments and interventions for parents with a physical disability and cognitive impairments.

A school-based intervention can promote insights into future parenting in students with intellectual disabilities-A Swedish interview study

BACKGROUND

Few studies have focused on how youth with intellectual disability (ID) can be facilitated in reasoning about future parenthood. This study aimed to explore an intervention using the Toolkit "Childrenwhat does it involve?" and the Real-Care-Baby (RCB) simulator among students with ID.

METHOD

Sixteen students with ID who participated in an intervention with 13 educational sessions, with adapted knowledge and a three-day caring session with the RCB simulator, were individually interviewed after the intervention. Qualitative content analysis was used.

RESULTS

Participants reported that the intervention provided important thoughts and insights on future parenting, providing a basis for informed decisions. The ability to be responsible and have autonomy in life and in caring for a future child were described as important.

CONCLUSION

After an intervention, with structured and adapted knowledge and experiences of the RCB simulator, students with ID reported an understanding of the importance of informed decisions about future parenthood.

Supporting disabled parents and their families: perspectives and recommendations from parents, attorneys, and child welfare professionals

While it is well-established that parents with disabilities and their families are over-represented in the child welfare system, no known research has described the parents,' child welfare professionals,' and attorneys' perspectives on the system's capacity to support them or their recommendations for improvement. This qualitative phenomenological study involved semi-structured interviews with 15 disabled parents, 15 child welfare professionals, and 15 parent attorneys. Respondents agreed that the child welfare system lacks expertise on disability and adequate services for disabled parents, and holds negative attitudes about them. Respondents recommended robust training for professionals on parents with disabilities, and individually-tailored services for disabled parents.

An intervention using the Parenting Toolkit "Children-What does it involve?" and the Real-Care-Baby simulator among students with intellectual disability-A feasibility study

BACKGROUND

There is limited knowledge about how young people with intellectual disability can be facilitated in their process of deciding about parenthood. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of an upcoming trial to evaluate an intervention using the Toolkit "Children-what does it involve?" and the "Real-Care-Baby" (RCB) simulator among students with intellectual disability.

METHODS

Six students with intellectual disability participated in an intervention with eight educational sessions and a 3-day caring session with the RCB simulator. Data were collected with questionnaires and interviews.

RESULTS

The study showed that it is possible to evaluate an intervention using these instruments among students with intellectual disability in order to provide them with further insights about parenthood.

CONCLUSION

It is feasible to evaluate the Toolkit and the RCB in a cluster-randomized study and that such a study could add to our knowledge about possible intervention strategies regarding reproduction and parenting among students with intellectual disability.

Le Profil des AVQ adapté au rôle de parent : Une étude exploratoire

Description.

Devenir parent implique plusieurs défis quotidiens, particulièrement pour les parents ayant des incapacités physiques et cognitives. Néanmoins, aucun outil d’évaluation n’existe pour soutenir les ergothérapeutes dans l’évaluation de l’indépendance à prendre soin d’un bébé.

But.

Cette étude visait à (a) développer des activités spécifiques à l’évaluation des habiletés parentales auprès de bébés à l’intérieur du Profil des AVQ et (b) réaliser une étude pilote pour explorer les besoins des parents avec incapacités.

Méthodologie.

Les activités ont été sélectionnées par une approche participative avec des ergothérapeutes experts ( n = 3) et l’évaluation a été expérimentée auprès de parents ( n = 4) avec incapacités physiques et cognitives.

Résultats.

Six activités parentales ont été développées et celles-ci ont permis de conclure sur l'indépendance d’un parent à prendre soin de son bébé.

Conséquences.

Par l’ajout d’activités parentales, le Profil des AVQ a le potentiel d’outiller les ergothérapeutes dans leurs recommandations reliées au rôle de parent.

Child protection services and parents with intellectual and developmental disabilities

BACKGROUND

Information about parents with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in the child protection system (CPS) continues to evolve. This study examined characteristics, experiences and representation of parents with IDD across three CPS decision points, as compared to parents with other disabilities and parents without disabilities in the United States.

METHODS

The sample consisted of 303,039 individuals: 2,081 were individuals identified as parents in a CPS investigation; 1,101 had children in out-of-home care (OHC); and 308 experienced termination of parental rights (TPR). Descriptive statistics, chi-square analysis, disparity indices and logistic regression were employed.

RESULTS

Parents with IDD were significantly more likely than parents without disabilities (but not significantly more likely than parents with other types of disabilities) to experience disproportionately representation.

CONCLUSIONS

Parents with IDD are generally over-represented within CPS; however, this representation is dependent upon the comparison group utilized and other risk factors. CPS system-level changes are necessary.

Negotiating parenthood: Experiences of economic hardship among parents with cognitive difficulties

People with cognitive difficulties often have scarce economic resources, and parents with cognitive difficulties are no exception. In this article, parents' experiences are put forth and discussed, for example, how does economic hardship affect family life? How do the parents experience support, what kind of strain does the scarce economy put on their situation and how are their children coping? The data consist of interviews with parents living in this often problematic situation. Experiences of poverty and how it can be related to - and understood in the light of - cognitive difficulties and notions of parenthood and children's agency are scarcely addressed in the current research. The findings suggest that experiences of poverty are often associated with the limitations caused by cognitive difficulties. Poverty may thus be articulated as one aspect of the stigma they can experience due to their impairments, not least in relation to their children and naturalized discourses on parenthood.