The effect of parental intellectual disability status on child protection service worker decision making

Expectant parents with intellectual disabilities in child protection: Risk factors for child safety

BACKGROUND

Newborns of parents with intellectual disabilities face higher risks in their environment for child unsafety, despite parents' good intentions. To help parents prevent unsafe circumstances, a good understanding of the risk factors faced by these parents is needed.

METHODS

This casefile study examined (1) which risk factors were present for expectant parents with intellectual disabilities in child protection, (2) which domains of risk factors, and (3) whether a cumulation of risk factors was related to child safety.

RESULTS

Expectant parents with intellectual disabilities in child protection before the child was born often experienced a cumulation of risk factors. Child, family, and care factors best predicted child safety. A cumulation of risk factors over multiple life domains increased the risks for child unsafety.

CONCLUSIONS

To reduce the risks of unsafe parenting conditions for newborns, preventive interventions for expectant parents with intellectual disabilities should address their needs from an ecological perspective.

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.

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.

Parent education for adults with intellectual disability: A review and suggestions for future research

OBJECTIVE

This review evaluates research regarding parent education interventions for adults with an intellectual disability (ID).

METHODS

Electronic database and ancestral searches identified 13 studies published between 1994 and 2012. The results of these studies are discussed in relation to (a) participants and settings; (b) general intervention procedures, (c) programmed antecedent stimuli to occasion parent behaviour; (d) targeted behaviours; (e) programmed consequence(s) for parent behaviour; and (f) the presence of generalization and maintenance strategies.

RESULTS

In the majority of reviewed studies, intervention components lacked operational definitions appropriate for replication and direct observation of child outcomes were often not included as a dependent variable. Also, most interventions did not include steps to promote the generalization of skills to different stimuli or settings although the majority assessed the maintenance of targeted skills.

CONCLUSION

In consideration of these findings, several relevant areas for future research are proposed.