Community care: failure of professionals to meet family needs

Abstract

This paper is based on a 3-year study involving 132 mothers caring for their severely mentally handicapped school children at home. The study shows that many mothers lack awareness of available services. Services are determined by professional perspectives. Many mothers find that available services tend to substitute rather than reinforce their caring capacity. Services are ad hoc and crisis orientated rather than planned and coordinated. Increasing numbers of parents are seeking support through mutual aid and self-help groups.