Intellectual disability services recognise people with intellectual disability as a family member and aim to provide effective support that facilitates family cohesion. However, the needs of families and individuals within the family should be addressed in a holistic manner to ensure a seamless service. This article outlines a mother's reflections on her experience of raising a child with autism spectrum disorder and its impact on her life. The article focuses on one mother's feelings, coping or lack of coping and growth during a time of sadness. This article written by a mother, nurse and academic through their shared interest in supporting families of children with a disability all came together to tell this story. It is hoped that this article will assist professionals understand a mother's perspective when raising a child with intellectual disability and support professionals to recognise the importance of listening, coordinated support and working in partnership.

Writing for publication is often seen as an arduous, daunting task reserved mainly for those in academia. This paper represents the first author's experience over the past 2 years of working on writing papers for publication in the context of personal and academic development. The aim is to reflect on the first author's journey towards publication with the intention of encouraging nursing staff to make their work visible and validate their practice through publication. This personal journey was made easier by the encouragement, help and support of the second author, a university lecturer acting as a mentor, advisor and critical friend. This paper is also intended to assure and give courage to those who have considered writing about their practice but are reluctant to do so.

Fostering mutual relationships, where the expertise of all parties is valued and promoted, is central to providing a supportive environment in a family-centred service. In this article, the nurse manager of a home support and respite service reflects on her working relationship with families to illustrate an example of the complexity of family-centred care and its application in practice.

In Ireland, services for people with intellectual disabilities are increasingly being provided in community-based settings. This article discusses a project in which the social needs of children with Asperger syndrome are addressed by the formation of a local sleepover club that is regulated mainly by the children themselves. Run by a community based learning disability nursing service in County Clare, Ireland, this family-and person-centred form of care is yet to be evaluated fully, but interim outcomes indicate that it has been a success and the initiative is being extended to cover more people with intellectual disabilities in County Clare.

No abstract