This study explores the everyday parenting practices of parents with cognitive difficulties – such as acquired brain injuries or intellectual and developmental disabilities – and examines their lived experiences, including the barriers they face and the resources they rely on. Although Article 23 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities upholds the right to family life, research on parenting with cognitive difficulties remains limited. Using a qualitative design, we conducted two interview rounds with four parents and one additional interview with another parent. A reflexive thematic analysis generated three themes: (1) Managing Daily Parenting with Cognitive Challenges, (2) Navigating Barriers to Meet Parenting Aspirations, and (3) Holding Things Together Amid Struggles. Results show that parents deeply value their parenting role and demonstrate resilience yet limited institutional understanding and fragmented services constrain their efforts. Supportive family and social networks can help buffer pressures, but systemic gaps often leave parents isolated and uncertain.
Hedlund et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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