Exploring the Parental Profiles, Knowledge, and Barriers on Access to Support Services for Children with Intellectual Disabilities

This study explored the parental demographic and socioeconomic profiles, knowledge, and barriers on access to support services for children with intellectual disabilities in the Toledo City Division. In addition, this research employed a descriptive correlational design, involving 185 parents of children with intellectual disabilities. They were selected using purposive sampling. Data was collected through a structured and validated questionnaire and examined using descriptive statistics and correlation analyses. The statistical analysis involved frequency counts, percentages, weighted means, and correlations to assess the relationships among the variables. The parental profiles of the respondents were then correlated with various variables, including the level of parental awareness of government and private sector support services, the extent of support services utilized, and the barriers parents encounter when seeking support for their children with ID. The findings showed that a significant portion of respondents fell within the age range of 30–39 years (34.1%), were married (63.8%), and lived in urban settings (44.8%). Most children were categorized as having mild ID (45.9%), and 26.5% of parents reported having only one child. In terms of socioeconomic factors, 23.2% of parents had completed college education, 75.1% depended primarily on salaries or wages for income, 57.3% had monthly earnings below Php 9,520, and 73% were homeowners. Overall, parents generally felt that they were knowledgeable about available support services, although their experiences in accessing these services differed, as many gave neutral feedback. Respondents also recognized that obstacles existed in obtaining support. Statistical results revealed that parental educational level and type of residence were significantly linked to awareness of support services. The classification of the child’s ID showed a strong correlation with the level of services used, while residential location, education level, and monthly income were significantly associated with the extent of barriers faced. These results highlight the necessity for targeted efforts to improve awareness, reduce access inequalities, and tackle parental profiles that affect service usage. The study recommended implementing an action plan for equitable access to support services for children with intellectual disabilities.