The experiences of parents arranging the move of their young adult offspring with intellectual disabilities to 24-hour residential settings: A continuing puzzle

Background
Moving out of the family home is a key transition for people with intellectual disabilities and their families. Yet there has been little research about parents’ experiences of planning the move of their young adult offspring to residential settings offering 24-hour support.

Method
Interviews were conducted with eleven parents whose offspring moved to residential settings within the past 5 years (five fathers; six mothers). They consisted of structured questions about planning their offsprings’ moves and semi-structured questions about parents’ experiences.

Results
Content analysis of the structured questions revealed reasons parents began thinking about the moves and routes to finding information. The thematic analysis highlighted the emotional challenges parents faced.

Conclusions
The findings highlight the need to address this neglected topic and ensure that practical and emotional support is put in place to plan positive futures, rather than relying on families to use their own initiative or waiting until a crisis occurs.