Experiences of being a single young mother caring for children with severe intellectual disability: A qualitative study

Background: Single young mothers raising a child with severe intellectual disability face distinct day-to-day challenges. For many, the caregiving role is both demanding and life-changing. Beyond typical parenting duties, mothers often provide intensive care and must navigate health and support systems that can be difficult to understand and access. This can create ongoing uncertainty as they manage daily care and supervision, make sense of complex diagnoses and care needs, cope with emotional and practical demands, and seek appropriate resources and services. As they work to secure suitable care and services for their children, mothers may experience ongoing uncertainty, stress and worry. Objectives: The study aimed to explore and describe the experiences of single young mothers caring for children with severe intellectual disability. Method: A qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research design was adopted to capture the nuanced experiences of eight purposefully sampled single young mothers caring for a child with severe intellectual disability. Results: Three themes emerged: (1) Knowledge gaps among single young mothers, (2) Emotional and psychological impact of the diagnosis and (3) Strength and support systems among single young mothers. Conclusion: The findings can guide professionals in developing initiatives for single young mothers that strengthen financial stability, overall well-being, and caregiver education in caring for their children. Contribution: The study provides in-depth insight into the experiences of single young mothers caring for children with severe intellectual disability in the South African context. It highlights the knowledge gap, emotional challenges and support needs. The findings inform contextually relevant recommendations to strengthen professional support, enhance maternal well-being and improve quality of life for both the mothers and their children.