Background: Respite care has traditionally been conceptualised as a short residential break which allows families a break from caring responsibilities. In recent years, alternative respite services have been developed which promote greater social integration and normalisation for people with intellectual and other disabilities. Specific aim: The…

Background: Respite supports are highly valued by persons with disabilities and their families/carers. In Ireland, there has been regular commentary in relation to a lack of respite services, with users and other stakeholders reporting limited access, inequity of provision, and long waiting lists for support. Materials and Methods: Much of the…

Community dance has been used as an arts-based approach in healthcare, key for expression in populations who may not typically have access to dance. This study sought to conduct an empirical exploration of family caregivers' perceived psychosocial wellbeing when regularly participating in community dance classes. Community dance can be defined as…

Most youths use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for socialising, but there is a discussion about whether using ICT promotes social participation for youths with intellectual disabilities (IDs). Employing the concepts of social participation and self-determination together with the youths' perspectives, as conveyed by staff, we…

Autism services in Qatar are expanding rapidly, but focus predominantly on young children. The shortage of qualified autism providers and minimal opportunities for autistic youth to participate in school, work, and community have led to a growing population of autistic youth transitioning to adulthood with substantial unmet needs for behavioral…

Autism is associated with a range of costs. This paper reviews the literature on estimating the economic costs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). More or less 50 papers covering multiple countries (US, UK, Australia, Canada, Sweden, the Netherlands, etc.) were analysed. Six types of costs are discussed in depth: (i) medical and healthcare service…

Globally, families who care for a child or adolescent with disabilities have been found to experience high levels of maternal ill health, stress, depression and family breakdown. In extreme cases, children and adolescents may have to move away from their family to a permanent residential placement. A potentially more appropriate and cost-effective…

Background: Respite care is an essential support for people with intellectual disabilities and their families; however, there is limited evidence examining different models of respite care. The present research examined quality of life among adults with intellectual disabilities using three different models of respite services in Ireland. Method:…

Aims: Life expectancy for both sexes in Australia exceeds 80 years, with individuals with intellectual disability also increasingly living into older age. This research aimed to comparatively examine perceptions of staff supporting either older adults or age peers with lifelong intellectual disability. Methods: This project asked 420 medical,…

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…

Family members of children with disabilities have become more involved in their children's care and have adopted the role of primary caregiver. Due to the varying degrees of the condition, children with cerebral palsy (CP) often require greater involvement from their caregivers. Fifteen caregivers for children with CP residing in rural communities…

Purpose: Increasing demand for autism services is straining service systems. Tailoring services to best meet families' needs could improve their quality of life and decrease burden on the system. We explored overall, best, and worst met service needs, and predictors of those needs, for families of children with autism spectrum disorders. Methods:…

Background: Specialist short break services aim to provide enhanced support to family carers as a means of preventing children whose behaviours severely challenge from being placed in full-time residential care. To date, there is limited evidence as to the functioning and effectiveness of such services. Methods: In all, 17 children were selected…

Background: This study explored the experiences of working mothers with an adult child with intellectual disabilities to understand how they reconcile paid work and care responsibilities. Methods: Fifteen working mothers in Taiwan with an adult child with intellectual disabilities were interviewed, and an interpretative phenomenological approach…

Although not inherent to the diagnosis, many individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) display aggressive behavior. This study examined the experiences of families living with individuals with ASD who also demonstrate aggressive behaviors. Using a qualitative approach, semistructured interviews were conducted with parents of nine males with…