Families' perceptions of their resources for caring for children with developmental disabilities

Factors related to families' perceptions of internal resources when raising children with developmental disabilities were examined. Families enrolled in a Cash Subsidy Program were surveyed about their resources, use of services, and helpfulness of social supports. Parents saw their basic resources for daily life as adequate. However, they reported that their time, discretionary money, and child-care resources were not adequate for caring for their children. Helpfulness of social supports, the children's characteristics, and income were related to perception of resource adequacy. Findings suggest that support services must be flexible in the types and amounts of services provided.