Exploring the short-term impact of screening for intellectual disabilities in mainstream schools

Background The identification of intellectual disabilities at an early stage at school is crucial to ensure that children receive appropriate support and interventions. However, some children may not have their intellectual disability recognised and therefore miss out on potential support. Aim To evaluate the short-term impact of using the Child and Adolescent Intellectual Disability Screening Questionnaire (CAIDS-Q) to screen for intellectual disabilities in mainstream schools. Method A quantitative research methodology was selected, involving the use of the CAIDS-Q impact questionnaire. The questionnaire comprises a set of questions about the advantages and potential disadvantages of the CAIDS-Q, which respondents rate on a Likert-type scale, then provide an overall rating of the benefits of the tool. There is also space for free-text comments. The 27 respondents (15 parents, six teachers and five other stakeholders) had participated in a previous study that evaluated the effectiveness of the CAIDS-Q for screening for intellectual disabilities in mainstream schools. Results The main advantages of using the CAIDS-Q identified by respondents were that it can help to: identify children who were not previously known to have intellectual disabilities; inform the support needed for the child and family; obtain additional support for the child; and increase awareness of intellectual disabilities. Few disadvantages were noted, although some respondents commented on the ability of wider systems and services to respond in a timely way if the CAIDS-Q indicated that a child likely met the criteria for an intellectual disability. Conclusion Using the CAIDS-Q to screen for intellectual disabilities in mainstream schools can have a positive short-term impact and may help to increase the identification and support of children with intellectual disabilities.