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The mission of the U.S. child welfare system is to protect children from maltreatment and promote safety, permanency, and well-being through a range of services and interventions. However, the processes by which current child protection practices are implemented may impinge on the rights of families and children. We argue that approaches or solutions should be centered on fostering equitable, just outcomes for families and children affected by the child welfare system. Toward that goal, we provide an initial conceptualization of justice-centered child welfare practice that integrates a human, constitutional, and socio-legal rights approach for child welfare systems of the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines child protection systems in the Greater Region with an eye to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and its implementation. Our analysis employs the distinction between a narrow and broad understanding of child protection. While the narrow understanding primarily emphasizes child protection, the broad understanding of child protection also considers children's rights, particularly the right to participation. We observe an expansion of responsibilities across the child protection systems of the Greater Region, which aims to better integrate, not only traditional child protection measures, but also children's rights. This marks a broadened interpretation of the UNCRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of child protection is closely interwoven with the national welfare state and its institutions. Nowadays, both the everyday lives of families and the professional work are shaped by transnational activities. This article presents the results of a study on child protection services in Germany working across national borders. Although regulated by international law, there are institutional and organisational gaps challenging professionals in this field. We can find processes of border setting and border crossing by professional social workers at the same time. Two ideal types of transnational situations are presented that reflect the variations of professional activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Midwifery research exploring midwives' views and beliefs about pregnant women with substance dependency has centred on those working in clinic or hospital settings. There is little research exploring the relationship between these women and safeguarding midwives providing clinical care via a community-based midwifery-led continuity of care model. This study aimed to explore this relationship. Methods: Using interpretative phenomenological analysis and visual inquiry techniques, five midwives participated in semi-structured interviews exploring their attitudes and emotions about working with women with substance dependency. Results: Five superordinate themes were found: transformation, tug of war, reciprocity, proxy parenthood and the midwives' twitch Conclusions: Midwives' relationships with women with substance dependency are based on partnership, honesty, trust, care and compassion. Midwives' perceptions of these women were transformed through reciprocal relationships facilitated by midwifery-led continuity of care and the women's life stories. Implications for practice: Midwifery-led care models should be expanded to include women of all risk levels. Additionally, women's narratives should be included when educating student and qualified midwives about substance dependency in pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This paper describes an audit of borderline symptoms, risk factors for maltreatment and types of abuse among parents who completed a parenting capacity assessment at a South Australian health-based child protection service. Method: A retrospective case note audit within a 28-month period was conducted and included parents (n = 107) who had completed a Mclean's screening instrument for borderline personality disorder and/or had a psychiatric review with a formal diagnosis. Parents who had a borderline personality disorder diagnosis or endorsed five or more symptoms were categorised into the 'high' borderline symptom group. Rates of parental risk factors for maltreatment and type of abuse were compared between parents with low or high borderline symptoms. Results: Forty percent of parents endorsed at least five borderline symptoms on the screening tool. On average, parents high in borderline symptoms had a greater number of parental risk factors. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of screening for personality pathology among parents presenting to child protection services. Foundational training for staff and making evidence-based interventions available should be considered in such settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, research on subjective well-being in childhood and adolescence has gained importance at the international level. However, knowledge of the well-being of children whose rights have been violated and who are at risk of social exclusion is still scarce. The aim of this study was to examine the subjective well-being of children and adolescents receiving care in outpatient programs of the National Service for the Specialized Protection of Children and Adolescents of Chile, with emphasis on differences in gender and type of program ("Prevention", "Recovery" and "Recovery + behavior"). The SLSS, OLS, PWI-SC, and Positive and Negative Affect Scale questionnaires were completed by 439 children between 10 and 18 years of age. By means of a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), it was observed that girls presented significantly lower subjective well-being in all well-being measures compared to boys. Significant differences were also observed at the program level, with children admitted to the "Prevention" program showing significantly greater well-being with respect to those admitted to the "Recovery" and "Recovery + behavior" programs. It is worth noting that children admitted to the "Recovery + behavior" program presented significantly low values of well-being. We discuss the need to highlight gender differences in designing and implementing programs for children and adolescents currently living in vulnerable situations. Also discussed is the importance of strengthening preventive programs to ensure that the risk factors underlying the violations of the rights of this group do not become chronic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the extent of activities in child welfare investigations. Several studies have reported that families can experience an investigation as both stressful and intrusive (Harris 2012; Tembo and Studsrød 2019). The extent of the investigation and its relation to reported concerns is important to better understand the investigation phase. The aim of this study was to examine which case characteristics lead to either an investigation with a high activity level or an investigation with a low activity level. Few previous studies have been identified, resulting in an explorative approach. Designed as a case file study, 1,123 investigations from 16 agencies in Norway were included. Multi-nominal regression by the generalized linear mixed model was employed to assess the relationships between case characteristics and the extent of the investigations, accounting for differences between agencies. For investigations with low activity, the main predictor was concerns regarding medical and educational neglect. Predictors for high activity included younger children, concerns of physical/sexual abuse, and concerns regarding the child's social relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childcare has historically been constructed as ‘women’s work’, undertaken predominately by unpaid caregivers such as mothers (Huppatz, K. [2023. Gender, work and social theory: The critical consequences of the cultural turn. London: Bloomsbury Academic].). Caring responsibilities have been discursively constructed with perceived expectations of being the good mother (Paechter, C. [1998. Educating the other: Gender, power and schooling. London: Falmer Press].) and a pastoral charge to protect the child (Brydon, S. [2009. “Men at the heart of mothering: Finding mother in Finding Nemo.” Journal of Gender Studies 18 (2): 131–146].). In this paper, I consider how pastoral power constructed through discourses of protection is reflected in both policy and expectations of good mothering, informing safeguarding behaviours known as maternal gatekeeping (Doucet, A. [2006. Do men mother? Toronto: University of Toronto Press].; Gaunt, R. [2008. “Maternal gatekeeping: Antecedents and consequences.” Journal of Family Issues 29 (3): 373–395].). This interpretative paper is guided by theoretical principles of feminism and poststructuralism and employs a Foucauldian Discourse Analysis (FDA) as a lens to analyse powers reflected in everyday behaviours. The findings arguably indicate how protective maternal behaviours drawn from private spaces unknowingly may create gendered barriers to the recruitment and retention of men within childcare professions, informed by childcaring expectations historically placed unequally on women (Evans, M. [2017. The persistence of gender inequality. Cambridge: Polity Press].). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes a life stories project that enabled older people with a history of institutional care as children to tell their story in their own words, re-shaping their childhood memories in many cases, and assisting in their recovery from childhood trauma. A safe and supportive approach to storytelling was designed to ensure the wellbeing of participants. Participants’ feedback indicated that they valued both the process and the outcome, despite challenges along the way. Features of the life stories are described and learnings from the project discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The foster care system in Victoria, Australia, faces a critical challenge with a declining number of foster carers amidst an increasing demand for placements. This research aimed to identify the perceived benefits of using tailored recruitment strategies for foster carer recruitment and the key characteristics of those inclined toward foster care. Eight representatives from Victorian foster care agencies participated in semi-structured interviews, followed by an online survey completed by 1033 Victorian adults. Tailored recruitment efforts for both messaging and targeting of audiences were deemed crucial and effective by interviewees. Cluster analysis of the survey results revealed two distinct groups, with the fostering-inclined group comprising 31% of the sample and more likely to be female, aged 21–55, working in a care- or social-oriented profession, and have a spare room. Implications of sociodemographic, attitudinal, and behavioral characteristics associated with considering fostering are discussed in relation to designing targeted recruitment campaigns. This study highlights the importance of tailored recruitment for foster carers and provides practical directions for foster care agencies to identify and engage relevant audiences more inclined to consider fostering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis study explores pioneer parents’ perspectives on open adoptions in Spain, primarily involving contact with birth siblings. Five interviews with parents in open adoptions were analyzed using thematic analysis. Four content blocks emerged: motivation and decision-making, adaptation and family life, post-adoption contact, and general evaluation. Families accept open adoption as a necessary condition for adoption. Parents and children are well adapted, with no specific initial problems identified. Contact varies significantly from one case to another. The overall assessment of open adoption by pioneering families in Spain is positive, although its suitability should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Meetings to enhance shared decision-making, such as family group conferences, potentially contribute to enhancing meaningful involvement of families. Such meetings are also claimed by some to reduce the need for children to be in care, either by increasing support from family for parents or by identifying care from within the family network. This rapid realist review aims to develop an understanding of how meetings that facilitate shared decision-making between professionals and families might work to safely reduce the need for children to be in care. It identifies mechanisms that are thought to make a difference and contextual factors that influence the impact of identified mechanisms. Findings: A comprehensive search of academic and gray literature identified 64 documents spanning seven types of shared decision-making meetings. Data from these papers were collected using an iterative process of juxtaposition, comparison, contrast, and combination with a developing program theory. Data from the literature was supplemented with consultation to ensure relevance to the UK setting. The review identified three key mechanisms that made shared decision-making meetings more likely to be effective in safely reducing children's entry to care: enabling participation and engagement; building trust and reducing shame; enabling participation in decision-making processes. It describes how these work before, during, and after meetings. Applications: The findings help us understand the complicated research findings about the relationship between meetings and care entry and provide a theory about what is needed to make such meetings work that is of practical use for practice and future research [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How child protection and welfare policies address the disability community is a matter of utmost importance and urgency in the context of well-established inequalities. We present a policy content analysis of national policy documents across the United States, Northern Ireland, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland through the theoretical frame of a welfare regimes typology. Key findings include the conflation of disability with vulnerability in all but one context. Also evident is a lack of overt definition of disability, and opportunities for developing specific jurisdictional guidance and regulations focussed on embedding best practices in supporting disabled clients at all system levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by the themes emerging from a contemporary dance video, this paper proposes a theoretical framework for seeking consent from prospective participants in an ethnographic study of child protection court cases (care proceedings) in the family court in England. Research evidence to date suggests that this is a formal environment that is often alienating and confusing for families. As a qualified social worker and researcher, I draw on my ongoing doctoral research to explore some of the challenges of negotiating participant consent in the highly emotive space of the courtroom, where life-changing decisions are made about families’ future lives and relationships. Here, I focus on how the process of seeking consent can remain ethical, meaningful and responsive under such unpredictable and pressurised conditions by creating a research space that resists coercion through the power of ‘no’. A core problematic is how participants can be encouraged to say ‘no’ to research when they may be feeling vulnerable and disempowered by family court processes and structures. The complexities and ethics of the dance video capture some of the tensions and synergies that co-exist in these researcher-researched relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across the globe the customary practice of kinship care; family and friends caring for children unable to live with their parents, has become increasingly important as a government-sanctioned response to child protection concerns. This hybrid of public and private care (known in Australia as formal or statutory kinship care, and in the UK and USA as kinship foster care) has in many countries displaced non-related foster care as the preferred alternative care arrangement for children. With increasing use, this has proved problematic, with reports of unequal treatment, carer hardship, and worker confusion; especially concerning given the disadvantage of carers and their young kin. Research and policy development has been slow and restricted in its focus, with the views and experiences of stakeholders under-represented, leaving the practice field and service users inadequately supported. A recent study from Victoria, Australia aimed to bring forward the voices of stakeholders in scoping the operation of formal kinship care in 17 non-government kinship support programs. Taking a critical approach, the research drew on theoretical, empirical, and experiential evidence, and applied mixed methods, collaborative and participatory processes, and an ethical and ecological lens. Findings were based on a survey (n = 93), focus groups (n = 42), and interviews (n = 7), with carers, young careleavers, and workers, and data was analysed for themes and content. The research interrogated key elements of formal kinship care: its nature; the government's engagement with carers; standards of care; the carer's role and good care; the worker's role and good practice. Findings highlight the complexity and distinctiveness of formal kinship care, not addressed in policy or practice, and resulting in worker confusion, unmet support needs, and compounded disadvantage for carers and their young kin. System elements identified as obstructing good care and practice include inadequate resourcing, paradigm conflict, confusion of imperatives, and misdirecting assumptions about family care. The study substantiates the pertinence of stakeholders' views and experiences, and provides a basis and imperative for reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To measure the association of harmful alcohol use by parents and primary caregivers with the level of child protection response., Design, Setting and Participants: This study was a multivariable logistic regression analysis using data drawn from the Victorian child protection database (2012-21) in Victoria, Australia. Focusing upon the most recent case per child, we analysed whether harmful parental alcohol use was probably associated with children's progression throughout the child protection system (from investigation phase, to substantiation, through to protective intervention, protection application and protection orders), while adjusting for socio-demographic variables. The participants comprised 352 800 children [48.5% female, 50.0% male, 1.6% other/unknown; mean age = 8.1 (0-18 years)] with one or more reports (mean = 1.4) in the child protection system., Measurements: Child protection workers reported on two risk factor variables indicating parental alcohol use during an intake risk assessment: 'alcohol abuse' and 'alcohol use compromises child's safety'., Findings: Of the 95 592 child cases investigated between 2012 and 2021, 50 476 were substantiated. Probable parental alcohol use was reported as a risk factor in 5.1% of children investigated and substantiated in 9.1% of children. The odds of progressing to investigation [odds ratio (OR) = 1.64, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.59, 1.69, P < 0.001], substantiation (OR = 2.02, 95% CI = 1.91, 2.13, P < 0.001), protective intervention (OR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.23, 1.59, P < 0.001), protection application (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.08, 1.25, P < 0.001) and protection order (OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.02, 1.34, P = 0.028) were statistically significantly higher for children experiencing probable parental harmful alcohol use. However, the associations for protection application and protection order were not statistically significant after accounting for variables related to family accommodation, income and composition., Conclusions: In Victoria, Australia, in cases where child protection workers document parental alcohol use, those children are more likely to progress through the Victorian child protection system than children whose parents have no documented alcohol use., (© 2024 Society for the Study of Addiction.)

Despite the almost global ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Ireland and the international community fall short on the full realisation of these standards. Among the many pervasive and enduring failures are the persistence of child poverty, inadequate access to healthcare services, inequality of access to education, and continued discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, and disability. A highly relevant concern in today's world is the increasing exposure of children to armed conflict and our inability to effect change. This paper reviews the progress made in upholding children's rights and areas of ongoing concern., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland.)

Objective: Children with non-accidental injuries have increased risk of future death. There is insufficient evidence for widespread physical abuse screening tool use in the ED. This study assesses the utility of a physical abuse project that includes the implementation of a screening tool with case-matching from multiple sources. It aims to confirm whether risk-screening in a medium-sized rural Australian ED is reliable and will improve outcomes., Methods: This is a 16-month ED retrospective pre-/post-implementation study of all injury, burn or poisoning cases 16 years and under during a paediatric physical abuse safety project which included a screening tool. Presentations with potential physical abuse were filtered by ICD-10 codes and reviewed. Multivariable logistic regression models compared pre- and post-implementation cases. Analyses examined outcomes, trends and interrogated the screening tool which formed a Clinical Pathway Algorithm (CPA)., Results: A total of 1469 presentations underwent investigation: 747 pre-implementation and 722 post-implementation. Pearson's χ 2 test showed statistically insignificant differences. If tool used, documentation improved (odds ratio [OR] 7.73; 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.91-12.18), child protection service referrals increased (OR 5.50; 95% CI 1.82-16.61) and hospital admissions decreased (OR 0.42; 95% CI 0.22-0.79). Re-presentation rates stayed the same. Increased physical abuse was associated with screening factors including carer behavioural concerns, inadequate supervision, delayed presentation, repeat and unexplained injuries (ORs/CIs in an accompanying Table 4). Screening tool sensitivity was 62.3% and specificity 79.7%., Conclusion: Implementing this ED paediatric physical abuse project improved safety behaviours and best-practice documentation. The tool improved medical decision making without increased re-presentations. ED clinicians may use similar CPAs to help review safety concerns and facilitate discharge; however, resources are needed to investigate referrals flagged due to false-positive rates., (© 2025 The Author(s). Emergency Medicine Australasia published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australasian College for Emergency Medicine.)

Purpose: The Swedish Families of the 1990s (SWIFT90) is a population-based national register cohort that follows everyone born between 1990 and 1999, their parents and siblings. The cohort was set up primarily to investigate factors associated with biological parents' involvement with child welfare services and their outcomes following child(ren) placement in out-of-home care (OHC) under the research project 'Drivers of inequalities of families involved in child welfare services (DRIVERS)'., Participants: This cohort is defined as families consisting of parents and their children, of which at least one was born between 1990 and 1999 in Sweden, which totals 1 075 037 children. The children are linked to both (adoptive or biological) parents and their siblings, so the total number of individuals in the SWIFT90 yields a total sample of n=3 292 417. These families are followed through multiple national registers including information on income, education, inpatient care, mortality and criminal offences. SWIFT90 compiles administrative data spanning from 1960 to 2022, which reflects the most recent data available at the time of the data request., Findings to Date: SWIFT90 provides information on 61 982 parents (fathers=31 028; mothers=30 954) with children placed in OHC and their respective children (38,084). Several covariates could be assessed for the parental generation, therefore, providing a comprehensive picture of socioeconomic and health-related aspects of families with children born in the 1990s and placed in OHC in Sweden., Future Plans: SWIFT90 will be used to investigate the socioeconomic and health trajectories of families involved with the child welfare system. With this cohort study ia possible to examine whether the inclusion of certain covariates alters the association between parental characteristics and child welfare outcomes. Future studies could also guide initiatives to prevent vulnerable circumstances among biological parents from escalating to the point where child placement into OHC becomes necessary. Additionally, they could help enhance the conditions of biological families and support opportunities for reunification after placement has occurred., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2025. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ Group.)

Introduction: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is one of the most common and significant complications of preterm birth. It ultimately leads to a decrease in the quality of life for preterm infants and impacts their long-term health. Early prediction and timely intervention are crucial to halting the development of BPD. This study aims to identify the biomarkers that can predict the early occurrence and development of BPD by screening serum metabolites in preterm infants. This will provide strong support for the early prediction of BPD and targeted interventions in future research., Methods and Analysis: This is a prospective, multicentre, open-label, observational cohort study spanning 3 years. It will be conducted in six major neonatal intensive care units in Shenzhen, China, involving preterm infants born at gestational ages <32 weeks. Demographic data and treatment information will be collected prospectively. Serum samples will be collected at five distinct time points: within 24 hours after birth, at 1 week, 2 weeks, 28 days and at 36 weeks postmenstrual age. These samples will undergo analysis using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for untargeted metabolomics studies. Participants will be categorised into BPD and non-BPD groups based on their final diagnosis, and metabolite differences between these groups will be analysed. The study aims to enrol 1500 preterm infants with gestational ages <32 weeks over 3 years. A three-step analysis strategy-discovery, validation and clinical testing-will be used to identify and validate the clinical utility of novel biomarkers. Additionally, a nested case-control study will be conducted, matching participants 1:1 with a control group sharing similar BPD risk factors., Ethics and Dissemination: Our protocol has been approved by the Medical Ethics Committees of all participating hospitals, including Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen Baoan Women's and Children's Hospital, Longgang District Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Nanshan Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital and Shenzhen Luohu People's Hospital. We will disseminate our study results through academic conferences and peer-reviewed public journals., Trial Registration Number: ChiCTR2400081615., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2025. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group.)

Introduction: The link between parent-child separation through child welfare systems and negative health and social outcomes is well documented. In contrast, despite the over-representation of Indigenous children and youth in child welfare systems, the relationship between child welfare system involvement and health and social outcomes among Indigenous populations has not been systematically reviewed. Our objective is to assess whether Indigenous People who have been exposed to a child welfare system personally or intergenerationally (ie, parents and/or grandparents) within Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the USA (CANZUS countries) and the circumpolar region are at an increased risk for negative health and social outcomes compared with other exposed and non-exposed groups., Methods and Analysis: We will undertake a comprehensive exploration of literature documenting health and social outcomes for Indigenous individuals with personal or intergenerational exposure to a child welfare system. The search will encompass nine databases, including Ovid MEDLINE, APA PsycINFO, Bibliography of Native North Americans, CINAHL, EMBASE, Public Affairs Index, Scopus, Social Work Abstracts and Sociological Abstracts. Additionally, reference lists of included studies will be examined. The literature search will include studies up to 4 October 2024 and will adhere to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Findings will be presented in summary tables through narrative synthesis, and if feasible, a meta-analysis will quantify the impact of child welfare exposure on health and social outcomes., Ethics and Dissemination: The results of this systematic review will synthesise current evidence regarding health and social outcomes related to personal and intergenerational child welfare exposure among Indigenous populations in CANZUS countries and circumpolar regions. This information could help support future policy and practice decision-making. Findings will be widely disseminated through peer-review publications and community presentations aimed at various interested parties, including policymakers, professional practitioners and clinicians, and service users (ie, clients, family members, caregivers)., Prospero Registration Number: CRD42023434543., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2025. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group.)

Background: The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) affirms interdependent rights to protection and participation, but barriers continue to hinder participation in protection practices., Objective: What can be learned from young people's participation in their own protection when it comes to harm reduction public policy efforts?, Participants and Setting: This study focused on provincial public policy in New Brunswick, Canada and involved both children and adults in research design and data collection. The provincial Youth Voice Committee was created to inform the development and implementation of the provincial harm reduction strategy. This strategy promotes children's rights to live free from harm through the reduction of physical, sexual, emotional, and sociocultural harms, not only abuse and neglect., Method: This study involved international and local child and youth advisory committees to support research design and implementation. Participatory qualitative data collection methods included young people and adults separately as well as collectively in intergenerational meetings., Results: Findings reveal a broad and unique interpretation of child protection as harm reduction, and that fear and policy processes continue to pose barriers even in contexts dedicated to children's rights. Adults should no longer exclusively influence protection policies, and children and youth are interested in effective intergenerational and relational collaborations. Greater commitment to diversity is needed in participatory efforts., Conclusions: A rights-based relational approach in research and policy-making necessitates the effective involvement of children and youth to support harm reduction in policy and practice. Policy makers are urged to engage young people alongside adults in child protection and public policies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: The current literature has established that prejudice in child protection cases with parents with intellectual disabilities continues to persist. However, complexities of these cases are not well-understood from the perspective of child protection workers. This study aimed to identify the needs of child protection workers and their views on factors that influence supports for parents with intellectual disabilities., Method: This qualitative study conducted semistructured interviews with child protection workers who have worked directly with parents with intellectual disabilities across five child protective agencies in three regions in Ontario, Canada (n = 11)., Results: Three major themes emerged after content analysis of interviews: (1) training and support needs of child protection workers; (2) key sources of support for parents; and (3) intersecting factors impacting decision-making., Conclusion: Social service agencies continue to be fragmented and better coordination across agencies is needed to meet the cross-sectoral needs of parents with intellectual disabilities., (© 2025 The Author(s). Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)