This qualitative research explores how young people with intellectual disabilities use digital environments, based on in-depth semi-structured interviews with parents as primary informants and key mediators of their children’s digital lives. Notably, all participants in the current sample are mothers, which reflects relevant patterns of family responsibility in the care and digital mediation of young people with intellectual disabilities. The study identifies patterns of digital use, competencies, risks, benefits, family mediation strategies, and training needs. Preliminary findings reveal an asymmetric competence profile, a gap between digital empowerment and actual training, and the key role of family trust as a protective factor. The research aims to inform inclusive digital support policies and resources for families.
Digital Inclusion of Young People with Intellectual Disabilities: A Family-Centred Approach
Official Name of Signatory
Delegation
Europe
Website of the Signatory
Name of the person presenting the Good Practice
Isabel Senabre Arolas
Position/Job Title of person presenting the Good Practice
Researcher, PhD Universidad Católica de Valencia
Aim of the Good Practice
To understand and improve the digital participation of young people with intellectual disabilities through in-depth semi-structured interviews with parents (predominantly mothers) as key informants, identifying family-perceived barriers, protective factors, and support needs, in order to design evidence-based digital inclusion strategies and training resources for families, caregivers, and day activity and vocational centres.
Target Group of the Good Practice
Older Person / Disabilities
Annual Monitoring Report
2026
Implementation period
2025-2026
Consistency over time
The study is conducted within the 2025–2026 academic year. Results will inform ongoing support programmes and may be extended through follow-up research involving additional participants and wider geographical scope.
Evaluation of the Good Practice
Quality assurance follows an ongoing process: the coding system has been developed and applied by the principal researcher, with systematic reflexivity and an audit trail documented throughout. Inter-rater reliability and member checking with participating families are planned as next steps to strengthen the credibility of the findings.
Key stakeholders and partnerships
NGOs
Future Goal 1
Strengthen and formalise the existing collaboration with partners organisations to support the dissemination of findings among families and to explore joint initiatives promoting digital inclusion for young people with intellectual disabilities.