Parents who have intellectual disabilities are a unique population of adults who require specialized parenting programs. The purpose of the present research was to conduct a process evaluation of one such program. This group program is unique in that it is participant driven, and is focused on group learning. Prior to the evaluation, a brief evaluability assessment showed that the major service components of the program were providing a supportive and comfortable environment, teaching parenting skills, and crisis management. The evaluation was conducted using a qualitative, participant observation methodology and took place over a six-month period. The data were collected from facilitator debriefing forms, the evaluator's detailed observations over an eleven-week period, and a small group interview with some of the parents. The results showed that the program components had been successfully implemented and that the participants found the services offered to be of great value.
Parents who have intellectual disabilities2 are a unique population of adults who are slowly beginning to be recognized in society. These parents, who are a heterogeneous group with a wide range of needs, present a challenge to social service agencies that are generally under equipped to adequately support them (Ford, 1997 and Tymchuk and Feldman, 1991). Due to their limited intellectual ability, these parents often have difficulty in interacting positively with their children, or providing them with adequate childcare and nourishment (Feldman, Case, & Sparks, 1992). These parenting deficits put their children at a risk for neglectful care, environmentally related developmental delay, and behaviour problems (Feldman et al., 1992 and Feldman et al., 1985). In addition, these parents face other problems such as poverty, abuse, low literacy levels, social isolation, and low self-esteem (Budd and Greenspan, 1984, Tymchuk, 1991 and Tymchuk and Feldman, 1991). While there is a concern that they are unable to adequately care for and meet the physical and emotional needs of their children, it is generally agreed that many of these parents can function competently with adequate training and support (Budd and Greenspan, 1984, Feldman et al., 1992 and Whitman et al., 1989). However, it is apparent that in order to improve these parents' skills, specialized programs must be put in place that are geared for parents with significant cognitive limitations (Whitman et al., 1989).
