Children with Intellectual Disability in residential child care

Intellectual disability (ID) is a relatively frequent problem among children and young people in child care. However, despite the high prevalence of this problem, there is scarce research on this specific group of children.... [ view full abstract ]

Intellectual disability (ID) is a relatively frequent problem among children and young people in child care. However, despite the high prevalence of this problem, there is scarce research on this specific group of children. Therefore, we have very few data on their profiles and characteristics and their specific needs when living in residential care facilities, particularly when they have also other behavioural and emotional disorders.
The main aim of this paper is analysing differences between intellectually disabled children and the rest of their peers in child residential care in two aspects: needs for mental health services and referrals to those services. The sample consisted of 938 children 6-18 years old placed in children’s homes in several regions of Spain.
In order to describe their personal and family profiles, we gathered data by means of a specific questionnaire and needs for mental health support were assessed using the CBCL. Both instruments were filled in by the key residential worker.
Result show a higher scores in CBCL in several scales in children whit ID, as well as a higher frequency of referral to mental health services, particularly to psychiatric and pharmacologic treatments. These results show the extreme vulnerability of this particular group of children in residential care and the need of using screening and objective tools to early detect behavioural problems and making referrals to proper therapeutic services.