Expectant parents with intellectual disabilities in child protection: Risk factors for child safety

Abstract

Background: Newborns of parents with intellectual disabilities face higher risks in their environment for child unsafety, despite parents' good intentions. To help parents prevent unsafe circumstances, a good understanding of the risk factors faced by these parents is needed.

Methods: This casefile study examined (1) which risk factors were present for expectant parents with intellectual disabilities in child protection, (2) which domains of risk factors, and (3) whether a cumulation of risk factors was related to child safety.

Results: Expectant parents with intellectual disabilities in child protection before the child was born often experienced a cumulation of risk factors. Child, family, and care factors best predicted child safety. A cumulation of risk factors over multiple life domains increased the risks for child unsafety.

Conclusions: To reduce the risks of unsafe parenting conditions for newborns, preventive interventions for expectant parents with intellectual disabilities should address their needs from an ecological perspective.

Keywords: child protection services; child safety; parenting; parents with intellectual disability; pregnancy; risk factors.