Supporting children of parents with intellectual disability: A scoping review

Parents with intellectual disability live normal lives and have children, but many of them lose custody of their children. However, little is known about the support, if any, that these children receive. Here, the present authors review the literature on the help and support given to children of parents with intellectual disability.

A scoping review of peer-reviewed and grey literature was conducted, covering 1997 to November 2017.

Thirteen publications were identified. The children benefited from help and support received through informal networks. They also benefited from formal support if it focused on the children's needs and interests.

The review shows that even though support from informal networks might be an influential factor in supporting children, there is a need for more research addressing the formal support these children receive and how they benefit from it.