COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES AND SERVICE ACCESS FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES: A COMPARATIVE OUALITATIVE STUDY IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA AND AUSTRIA
COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES AND SERVICE ACCESS FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES: A COMPARATIVE OUALITATIVE STUDY IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA AND AUSTRIA

Summary/Abstract: Introduction: Communication between parents and professionals is critical both for getting access to services for children with developmental disabilities and for navigating those services. However, some families face fragmented information, inconsistent professional support, and systemic barriers that complicate care coordination. To this end, this study examines the communication barriers encountered by parents in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Austria, taking into account the different welfare contexts and the services available in each country. Methods: A qualitative approach was used. Semi-structured interviews were held with 11 parents of children with developmental disabilities (6 from Bosnia and Herzegovina and 5 from Austria), recruited by two associations. Purposive sampling was utilized to guarantee direct experience of social, educational, and health services among participants. Analysis of data was organized thematically, in line with Braun and Clarke (2006), to assess communication-related barriers and contextually based determinants of service access. Results: Four overarching categories were identified: (1) limited access to reliable information and emotionally overwhelming experiences of diagnosis; (2) mixed relationships with practitioners, with notable issues related to staff turnover, inconsistent advisory support, and overburdened services; (3) broader systemic and contextual factors including institutional fragmentation and inadequate educational support, plus stigma and competing work responsibilities that contribute to barriers to communication; and (4) variability in the quality and accessibility of service provision; comparison of Austrian parents and Bosnian and Herzegovinian parents in terms of systems and structure. NGO groups were appreciated in both settings (but constrained by capacity). Discussion and Conclusion: The results suggest that communication challenges are inherently shaped by emotional, systemic, and contextual factors. Although there are barriers shared by both countries, distinctions in welfare infrastructures provide different service experiences. The importance of strengthening coordination across sectors, information systems, and empathic professional communication to support families cannot be understated. The study highlights the importance of culturally responsive, family-centered, and structurally supported service models.

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