Giving guidance in the online lives of young people with intellectual disabilities: Challenges and guiding approaches in the daily practice of Dutch care staff

Background: This study reports the findings from a Dutch study, exploring care workers’ challenges and approaches in guiding young people with intellectual disabilities in their online lives. Method: Using an inductive research design 33 semi-structured interviews were conducted with care workers. Results: Care workers report challenges that revolve around three themes: (1) the perceived intangibility of the online lives of clients and (2) Risk perception: feeling stuck between control and freedom. (3) Differences in guiding approach between care workers. Based on these results a conceptual model is presented that aims to show the connection between these challenges and guiding approaches. Conclusion: Perceptional processes may influence care workers’ guiding approaches. This raises important questions about the implications of these guiding approaches on the level of support clients with intellectual disabilities receive and the effectuation of their rights and liberties under the 2006 United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.