title: A necessary evil: Residential placement of people with intellectual disability among the Palestinian minority in Israel.
abstract: Among the Palestinian minority in Israel, residential placement of people with intellectual disabilities [ID] is relatively new and steadily increasing, but poorly studied. A qualitative design was used to explore the process of residential placement decision by 18 parents of people with ID through semi-structured interviews. Sampling was purposive and data was analyzed thematically. Four main themes emerged representing parents' perceptions and experiences along the placement decision-making process, together indicating an experience of deeply 'conflicted parenting': (a) initial resistance to placement and its perception as abandonment and parental failure; (b) attrition following cumulative difficulties and lack of assistance; (c) resignation and reframing of placement as a necessary evil; (d) relief mixed with guilt, pain, and ambivalence following placement. Residential placement process proved to be linked primarily to lack of resources and of accessible culturally-competent services within the community. Parents' experience and behavior along the placement decision process reflect relentless efforts to practice "good parenting". This concept is culturally specific and in the present case entails commitment to consider the individual child's wellbeing together with the family's as a whole. Implications for practice are suggested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel. Electronic address: kareemnas@mli.org.il.
authors.forename: Kareem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nasser
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Dalia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sachs
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Amalia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sa'ar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018912:Arabs; D002648:Child; D003153:Community Health Services; D065246:Culturally Competent Care; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007326:Institutionalization; D008607:Intellectual Disability; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups; D016487:Parenting; D010290:Parents; D010465:Perception; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012112:Residential Facilities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Culturally-competent services; Intellectual disability; Parenting roles and values; Residential placement