Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Rights of Individuals with Disability to Parenthood

  • Chapter
Health Care for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities across the Lifespan

  • 270 Accesses

Abstract

The issue of parenting for people with an intellectual disability (IDD) is complex. On the one hand there is recognition that people with IDD have the same rights as others to parent. On the other, it is apparent that the term ‘intellectual disability’ is applied to a heterogeneous group of people, some of whom will not have the capacity or ability to parent effectively, even with additional support. There has been a growing body of research, which has explored the needs of this group of parents. The present chapter will provide an historical context for the attitudes and behaviours towards parents with IDD. This will be followed by an exploration of current research on how parents with ID are viewed and supported, before outlining what parents with IDD themselves say about their parenting role and support needs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 389.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 499.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Department of Health & Department for Education & Skills. Good practice guidance on working with parents with a learning disability. http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/6709/ (2007).

  2. Neugebauer R. Mental handicap in medieval and early modern England: criteria, measurement and care. In: Wright D, Digby A, editors. From idiocy to mental deficiency: historical perspectives on people with learning disabilities. London: Routledge; 1996. p. 22–43.

    Google Scholar 

  3. MacLean K, Aunos M. Addressing the needs of parents with intellectual disabilities: exploring a parenting pilot project. J Dev Disabil. 2010;16:18–33.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Race D. Historical development of service provision. In: Malin N, editor. Services for people with learning disabilities. London: Routledge; 1994. p. 46–78.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Llewellyn G. Parents with intellectual disability and their children: advances in policy and practice. J Policy Pract Intellect Disabil. 2013;10:82–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. United Nations. Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities. United Nations; 2008. http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?navid=14&pid=150.

  7. Collings S, Llewellyn G. Children of parents with intellectual disability: facing poor outcomes or faring okay? J Intellect Dev Disabil. 2012;37:65–82.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Department of Health. Valuing people now: a new three-year strategy for people with learning disabilities. London: HMSO; 2009.

    Google Scholar 

  9. The Scottish Executive. The same as you? A review of services for people with learning disabilities. Edinburgh: Scottish Executive; 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Sullivan F, Bowden K, McKenzie K, Quayle E. ‘Touching people in relationships’: a qualitative study of close relationships for people with an intellectual disability. J Clin Nurs. 2013;22:3456–66.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Booth T, Booth W, McConnell D. The prevalence and outcomes of care proceedings involving parents with learning difficulties in the family courts. J Appl Res Intellect Disabil. 2005;18:7–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Emerson E, Malam S, Davides I, Spencer K. Adults with learning difficulties in England 2003/4. South Yorkshire: NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre; 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  13. McGaw S, Sturmey P. Assessing parents with learning disabilities: the parental skills model. Child Abuse Rev. 1994;3:36–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Wilson S, McKenzie K, Quayle E, Murray GC. A systematic review of interventions to promote social support and parenting skills in parents with an intellectual disability. Child Care Health Dev. 2013;40:7–19.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Brisson NA. Parent training and its effect on attunement of mothers with intellectual disabilities. Diss Abstr Int B Sci Eng. 2010;70(11-B):7231.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Koeske GF, Koeske RD. The buffering effect of social support on parental stress. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 1990;60:440–51.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Guinea SM. Parents with a learning disability and their views on support received: a preliminary study. J Learn Disabil. 2001;5:43–56.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Llewellyn G, McConnell D. Mothers with learning difficulties and their support networks. J Intellect Disabil Res. 2002;46:17–34.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Tucker BM, Johnson O. Competence promoting vs competence inhibiting social support for mentally retarded mothers. Hum Organ. 1989;48:95–107.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Booth T, Booth W. Growing-up with parents who have learning difficulties. London: Routledge; 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Wade C, Llewellyn G, Matthews J. Review of parent training interventions for parents with intellectual disabilities. J Appl Res Intellect Disabil. 2008;21:351–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Coren E, Barlow J. Individual and group based parenting for improving psychosocial outcomes for teenage parents and their children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2001;3, CD002964.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Edwards G. Sure Start: public health success or expensive failure? Br J Midwifery. 2005;13:628.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Feldman MA. Parenting education for parents with intellectual disabilities: a review of outcome studies. Res Dev Disabil. 1994;15:299–332.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. McGaw S, Ball K, Clark A. The effect of group intervention on the relationships of parents with intellectual disabilities. J Appl Res Intellect Disabil. 2002;15:354–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. McConnell D, Dalziel A, Llewellyn G, Laidlaw K, Hindmarsh G. Strengthening the social relationships of mothers with learning difficulties. Br J Learn Disabil. 2009;37:66–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Wilson S, McKenzie K, Quayle E, Murray GC. The postnatal support needs of mothers with an intellectual disability. Midwifery. 2012;29:592–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Edmonds J. On being a mother: a positive identity in the face of adversity. Clin Psychol Forum. 2000;137:21–5.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Mayes R, Llewellyn G, McConnell D. “That’s who I choose to be”. The mother identity for women with intellectual disabilities. Womens Stud Int Forum. 2011;34:112–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Booth T, Booth W. Parents with learning difficulties in the child protection system: experiences and perspectives. J Intellect Disabil. 2005;9:109–29.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Baum S, Burns J. Mothers with learning disabilities: experiences and meanings of losing custody of their children. Tizard Learn Disabil Rev. 2007;12:3–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Shewan L, Crawley R, McKenzie K, Quayle E. A qualitative exploration of the identities of parents with a learning disability. Br J Learn Disabil. 2012. doi:10.1111/bld.12005. Early view.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Llewellyn G. Relationships and social support: views of parents with mental retardation/intellectual disability. Ment Retard. 1995;7:64–77.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Tarleton B, Ward L. Parenting with support: the views and experiences of parents with intellectual disabilities. J Policy Pract Intellect Disabil. 2007;4:194–202.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Starke M. Encounters with professionals: views and experiences of mothers with intellectual disability. J Intellect Disabil. 2010;14:9–19.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Walsh-Gallagher D, Sinclair M, McConkey R. The ambiguity of disabled women’s experiences of pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood: a phenomenological understanding. Midwifery. 2011;28:156–62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Sections of this chapter were adapted from the following articles: Shewan L, Crawley R, McKenzie K, Quayle E. A qualitative exploration of the identities of parents with a learning disability. Br J Learn Disabil 2012; Early view. DOI: 10.1111/bld.12005; Wilson S, McKenzie K, Quayle E, Murray GC. The postnatal support needs of mothers with an intellectual disability. Midwifery 2012;29:592–8 and Wilson S, McKenzie K, Quayle E, Murray GC. A systematic review of interventions to promote social support and parenting skills in parents with an intellectual disability. Child Care Health Dev 2013;40:7–19. The authors would like to thank the co-authors of these original articles, Ethel Quayle, Rowan Crawley and George Murray for their input.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Department, Northumbria University, Northumberland Building, Northumberland Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK

    Karen McKenzie M.A., M.Phil., M.Sc., DPsychol

  2. Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, The Den, Chesterfield Royal Hospital, Calow, Chesterfield, S44 5BL, UK

    Laura Shewan B.Sc., DClinPsychol

  3. Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust, Laurel House, 41 Old Dover Road, Canterbury, UK

    Suzanne Wilson M.A., DClinPsychol

Authors
  1. Karen McKenzie M.A., M.Phil., M.Sc., DPsychol
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Laura Shewan B.Sc., DClinPsychol
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Suzanne Wilson M.A., DClinPsychol
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karen McKenzie M.A., M.Phil., M.Sc., DPsychol .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Innovative Solutions for Disadvantage and Disability and Department of Pediatrics, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA

    I. Leslie Rubin

  2. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and Medical Services, Division for Developmental and Developmental Disabilities, Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services, Jerusalem, Israel

    Joav Merrick

  3. Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, USA

    Donald E. Greydanus  & Dilip R. Patel  & 

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

McKenzie, K., Shewan, L., Wilson, S. (2016). The Rights of Individuals with Disability to Parenthood. In: Rubin, I.L., Merrick, J., Greydanus, D.E., Patel, D.R. (eds) Health Care for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities across the Lifespan. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18096-0_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18096-0_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-18095-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-18096-0

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation