What happens to parents with intellectual disability following removal of their child in child protection proceedings?

It is unlikely that every parent with intellectual disability comes under the scrutiny of the care and protection system. That many do is evident in the figures from a number of countries that report between 30 and 40% of the children of parents with intellectual disability are removed from their parents' care and placed in protective custody, in foster care, or in a residential setting. Recent developments, particularly in the United Kingdom and Australia, in seeking permanent placement for children away from their parents earlier rather than later means that many of these children will not be reunited with their parents. As long as the prevalent attitude of current and future parental incompetence continues to exist, having a child taken away--permanently--remains a real possibility for many parents with intellectual disability. In this article, the authors highlight their concern about this situation, as well as their concern that little is known about the potentially devastating outcomes for these parents when their children are taken away by the State.