“Employees Without Fixed Shifts”: Lessons Learned from Pandemic Experiences of Mothers Who Have Disabled Children

The aim of the research is to reveal the experiences and challenges experienced by mothers of disabled children during the Covid-19 Pandemic in the context of the ideology of motherhood and to ensure that lessons are drawn for possible crisis that may occur in the future. The research was carried out using a cross-sectional qualitative research design with descriptive phenomenological approach. Determined by maximum variation sampling, the participants of the research are women living in the same house with their disabled children. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 17 women. The data were analyzed through inductive thematic analysis. The themes emerged from the study in line with their experiences of physical, psychological and survival, accessibility to education and regression, protection and safety, social assistance and social support challenges and the new roles they have assumed to cope with these challenges. Mothers with disabled children face coping difficulties and need empowerment, independence, and responsibility sharing. Support services and protective-preventive interventions are recommended. Further research should include longitudinal interviews with participants during and after crisis situations and fathers to understand the connection between gender roles and this issue.