More Parents With Intellectual Disabilities than we Thought: A Short Report from England

TL;DR

This report highlights the need for better support for parents with intellectual disabilities in England, based on findings from recent studies.

Contribution

The paper emphasizes the lack of current focus on supporting parents with intellectual disabilities and calls for updated government action.

Findings

One third of child protection cases involve parents with intellectual disabilities or learning disabilities.

Social services lack proper support systems for these parents.

Social workers require better training and guidance to assist these parents effectively.

Abstract

This paper recognises that there has been a long history of research into support for parents with intellectual disabilities in England and a helpful approach to integrating adults with intellectual disabilities in society called ʻValuing Peopleʼ. This focus has now faded.

The paper draws together findings from three recent English studies.

One third of the cases involving babies in the child protection system involved parents with diagnosed intellectual disability or a borderline or specific learning disability. The other two studies found that general adult social services were not set up to work with these parents, that social workers wanted more or better training and support and there was variable awareness of the Good Practice Guidance document.

Parents with intellectual disabilities need to be on this Government's agenda; their need for tailored, on‐going support should also be acknowledged.