Motherhood of women with intellectual disabilities in the Czech Republic: The knowledge, experience and attitudes of social services workers with pregnancy and subsequent motherhood of women with intellectual disabilities
Abstract
Abstract:Until recently, women with intellectual disabilities did not have many alternatives when making a decision about where to live and their preferred way of life. Similarly they did not have a right to conceive a child and to live a family life.
Gradually, measures emphasizing the protection of their rights (including the prohibition of involuntary sterilization) were adopted in the Czech Republic. Despite these legislative changes these women with intellectual disabilities remain marginalized and they and their children constitute a vulnerable group.
Quality of life of these women and their families is greatly determined by social workers, on whose support and advice these women depend. Social workers' lack of knowledge and stereotypical thinking may have a major impact on the functioning of mothers with intellectual disabilities (McConnel, Llewellyn, 2002; Hoglung B. et al., 2012).The aim of the presented research study was to investigate attitudes, experiences and knowledge of social workers supporting mothers with intellectual disabilities in the Czech Republic.
The researchers used factor analysis to analyse the surveys. The presented study offers perspectives of 329 participating social workers supporting mothers with intellectual disabilities.
The authors will also discuss ways in which social workers may support these mothers with intellectual disabilities more effectively. The implications of this research for service provision aswell as research will be discussed