"Already too late": A qualitative study of respite care among mothers of children with special healthcare needs and disabilities

Background: Parents of children and youth with special healthcare needs (PCHN) are under particular pressure that can lead to physical, emotional, and social difficulties. Respite care services provide temporary relief for PCHNs from their caregiving responsibilities. Several studies have examined why PCHNs do not make greater use of these potentially supportive services, but existing studies do not focus on the psychological or subjective aspects of this process. Objectives: The present study aims to understand the reasons why PCHNs, mothers in particular, (do not) use these services, with the underlying goal of understanding what parents' needs and expectations are regarding these services. Methods: The present study is based on a qualitative thematic analysis of the experience of respite services of 14 Belgian mothers PCHN. Results: The results showed that PCHNs regularly exceed their limits and are often on the verge of physical and emotional exhaustion and that respite services could be a way to meet their needs. However, issues of availability and accessibility impede equal access to these services. Conclusions: These findings highlight the need for a comprehensive approach to respite care, by including PCHNs in the process as early as possible, not normalizing exhaustion as the trigger, and not focusing solely on the needs of children when the need arises. Implications for practices: Increasing the flexibility of the services, providing a reassuring environment, facilitating administrative procedures, and providing information about these services as early as possible appear to be priorities for facilitating the use of respite care services. (c) 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.