Appropriate Measures? Supporting Parents with ID in the Context of the CRPD

Abstract

The international literature continues to show that parents with intellectual disabilities (ID) do not receive proper support and face disproportionate rates of custody deprivation. Despite the efforts of activists, critical scholars and some progressive support workers, it seems that the situation of parents with ID have not improved much. Iceland ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2016. This contribution is one part of a larger project that aims to explore the impact of the ratification of the CRPD on service responses to parents with ascribed ID. Thirteen indepth interviews were conducted with staff supporting these parents. The findings indicated attitudinal and organizational barriers to realizing the goals of the CRPD in this area. However, the findings also indicated a number of pathways forward upon which to build and which may help to produce better outcomes for parents with ID.