The purpose of this study was to determine whether the inclusion of a bi-directional communication journal between caregivers and student clinicians during a five-week summer preschool programme impacted caregivers' perceptions and had a positive impact on their children's language development. This study included a mixed methods design. Child…

Background: There is broad consensus within the disability field that the end-of-life care offered to people with intellectual disabilities should be of a quality consistent with that advocated by contemporary palliative care. In practice, however, various barriers are encountered when applying palliative care strategies to the end-of-life care of…

Schools across the US have implemented suicide prevention procedures to detect risk among students and facilitate linkage to mental health services. Yet, many students at risk for suicide do not access mental health treatment, and significant racial/ethnic disparities in service utilization persist. Quality improvement of suicide prevention…

When schools engage parents and caregivers as authentic partners in children's learning they begin to break down traditional barriers that have existed between home and school. Parents and caregivers from historically marginalized groups have expressed feeling unwelcome, disrespected, and devalued at school. Although many are involved in the…

Research has shown that playful learning helps foster the development of young children. Adult guidance of this play in meaningful ways can unlock the transformative power of education. Lack of knowledge about guided play, however, often leads to children growing up without opportunities to learn through play. Considering this, the authors analyze…

Respite aims to alleviate the stress and burden of caring for someone with an intellectual disability and/or autism. Respite can take place in a number of different ways, but most commonly occurs in a residential setting. Based on survey and interview data with carers (CAs), service users and stakeholders (STs) in a northern city in England, this…

This study explored caregivers' perspectives on facilitators and barriers to screening, diagnosis, and identifying and accessing other services for young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); and caregivers' suggestions for improving the process. Eight focus groups with 55 caregivers were conducted. Four groups had a mix of White, African…

This phenomenological research study examined the perspectives of parents and caregivers of persons with low-incidence exceptionalities through the use of semi-structured interviews. The purpose of the study was to determine what, if any, barriers they face in providing the best life possible for their children. All of the adult children in…

The aim of this study was to understand the diagnostic, service and lived experiences of families affected by ASD in Southeast Europe. A total of 758 caregivers from Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia and Turkey were surveyed from 2013 to 2015 about characteristics of the child with ASD; service encounters; and caregiver perceptions. The average age at…

This study aimed to characterize the perspectives of health professionals who care for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the emergency department (ED) and to determine what strategies could optimize care. Ten physicians and twelve nurses were interviewed individually. Questions related to experiences, processes, clinical…

Background: Sex education programs have been developed with paid care staff as sex educators. However, no information is available about whether these programs are being delivered. Method: The aim of this study was to investigate whether paid care staff working in an organisation specialised in the care of people with mild to moderate intellectual…

Studies have highlighted successful outcomes of psychological therapies for people with intellectual disabilities. However, processes underlying these outcomes are uncertain. Thematic analysis was used to explore the perceptions of three clinical psychologists, six clients and six carers of barriers and facilitators to therapeutic change for…

Governments in sub-Saharan Africa have made marked efforts to increase school enrollment. Yet attendance and completion rates remain low, particularly for girls. This study examines the reasons that school children do not attend school in a sample of Ghanaian students. Girls were more likely to miss school because a family member was sick, whereas…

Purpose of the Study: This project surveyed health care professionals from both urban and rural care settings in Ohio and examined differences in professionals' needs and interests in continuing gerontological education. Design and Methods: The survey data were analyzed for 766 health care professionals descriptively, using cross-tabulations and…

Background: Access to quality child care is an important support for families with children with disabilities. The objectives of this study were to determine: (1) the current state of inclusion of children with special needs in child care programmes, and (2) the presence of child care staff practices and programme characteristics that support…