An Exploration Into the Child Welfare Experience of Parents With Mental Retardation in Illinois

The purpose of this study was to determine how parents with mental retardation living within a sixteen-county area of Central Illinois are perceived by child welfare caseworkers, the availability of specialized services designed to address the unique learning needs of this population, and the relationship between the degree of mental retardation and family outcomes for parents who are involved with the Department of Children and Family Services. Caseworkers reported that parents with mental retardation present a higher risk of harm and are more difficult to work with than non-retarded parents. Case-workers also reported that staff trainings and specialized services addressing the needs of this population were lacking in their communities. When specialized services were available, the length of case openings and time in foster care were found to be longer which allow families more time to make progress towards permanency goals. Only mothers who had borderline mental retardation were found to make satisfactory progress which resulted in children either remaining in or being returned to their home.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Social Work

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• DeYoung, Lori Ann

Contributors dc:contributor

• Wendy Haight

• Sociology, Individual and Family Studies

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI9955607

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/87353