Family Experiences of Psychiatric Services for their Relative with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Accessing treatment for a relative with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities requiring assessment or treatment from services can be extremely difficult for families and carers. Adverse past experiences can significantly affect the development of trust and relationships with present services and professionals. Listening and acknowledging families’ past and present concerns, alongside providing transparent information and reassurance about their relatives’ care, provides a foundation for starting positive relationships. Families are valuable in helping clinicians understand their patients fully and this helps the recovery process. Services have a duty to work collaboratively with patients’ families, in order to improve treatment outcomes including quality of life. Occasionally, there may be concerns in relation to the patient being the victim of familial financial, emotional, physical, and/or sexual abuse. In such instances, safeguarding processes must be followed.