The support program Parenting Young Children for parents with intellectual and developmental disabilities: parents’ experiences of the program’s impact on their parenting

Abstract

Parenting Young Children is a home-based parenting support program for parents with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The program focuses on parents’ ability to care for and interact with their children and is adjusted to each parent’s needs through individualised goal-setting. The program has been implemented in many Swedish municipalities, and practitioners perceive it as useful, but there is scarce knowledge about parents’ perspectives. The aim of the present study was therefore to examine parents’ experiences of the impact of the Parenting Young Children program on their parenting skills and parenting role. Semi-structured individual interviews were held with 15 parents (eight mothers) who had intellectual and developmental disabilities and were assessed as needing parental support due to concerns about neglect. The parents received the program from social services, delivered through weekly sessions for at least 6 months. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Parents perceived that the program had a positive impact on their parenting knowledge and skills. They described learning about their children’s developmental needs and improving their understanding of their children. They also expressed that they acquired new skills, increased their responsiveness and interaction skills, and improved their parent-child relationships. Parents further described becoming more confident over time and growing into their roles, and that the program had a significant impact on family life, encouraging shared parental responsibility. The findings indicate that parents with intellectual and developmental disabilities perceive the program as helpful for developing knowledge, skills and confidence.