'I Don't Think I Have Ever Worked Harder on a Case': Needs of Canadian Child Protection Workers and Parents With Intellectual Disabilities

Background: The current literature has established that prejudice in child protection cases with parents with intellectual disabilities continues to persist. However, complexities of these cases are not well-understood from the perspective of child protection workers. This study aimed to identify the needs of child protection workers and their views on factors that influence supports for parents with intellectual disabilities.

Method: This qualitative study conducted semistructured interviews with child protection workers who have worked directly with parents with intellectual disabilities across five child protective agencies in three regions in Ontario, Canada (n = 11).

Results: Three major themes emerged after content analysis of interviews: (1) training and support needs of child protection workers; (2) key sources of support for parents; and (3) intersecting factors impacting decision-making.

Conclusion: Social service agencies continue to be fragmented and better coordination across agencies is needed to meet the cross-sectoral needs of parents with intellectual disabilities.