How parents of young adults with intellectual disability make sense of their experiences of transitioning from learning disability CAMHS to learning disability adult health service: An IPA study

Whilst existing literature describes the experience of transitioning in mainstream mental health services, little is known about specialist learning disability services. The following study aimed to explore how parents of young adults, aged 17 to 21, with intellectual disability make sense of their experiences of transitioning from learning disability Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) to adult community learning disability teams. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four parents of individuals diagnosed with a learning disability who were receiving care in the adult community learning disability team. Transcripts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three group experiential themes emerged: impact of transition on sense of control, making sense of challenges experienced, and wishing for a better service. The findings highlighted experiences of parents transitioning both through specialist health and social care services. Future research should seek to understand the impact of race on transition and experience of service.