“We Wanted to Get Her Help”: Child-Welfare-Involved Caregivers’ Perceptions of Decision-Making When Accessing Residential Treatment

Abstract

Despite increased research and policy interest in reducing the use of residential treatment settings (RTS), there have been few studies of caregivers’ experiences accessing these settings. This study aimed to explore how caregivers perceive their role in decision-making when accessing RTS for youth using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Themes included gaining a voice, losing power as services intensified, challenging journey, and inflection point. Findings suggest providers act as gateways to RTS for youth for those parents who currently do not have access to these settings. Implications for practice include increasing caregiver knowledge about how to navigate mental health service systems may improve their sense of empowerment to make decisions and that more resources are needed for caregivers.