A Study on the Exploring the Career Disruption and re-employment experiences of parents of children with developmental disabilities

The purpose of this study is to explore the career interruption and re-employment experiences of parents of children with developmental disabilities. The research method used was a qualitative exploration method. The research questions are: First, what is the experience of career interruption among parents of children with developmental disabilities? Second, what is the meaning of re-employment for parents of children with developmental disabilities? Parents of children with developmental disabilities recognized that their children were developing later than their peers. However, it was not recognized as a serious problem or was ignored due to vague anxiety. I noticed that my child was different from other children and began to suspect that he had a disability. It was difficult to obtain accurate information needed for the treatment and diagnosis of children with developmental disabilities, and there was no place to get help, so parents had to endure the entire process. I chose to take a break from my career for the sake of my children, but my life felt like it was at a standstill due to endless treatment and social isolation. As I acknowledged my child's disability, I began to reflect on myself and chose to get a new job in order to fulfill my role as a tireless parent. Securing treatment time for children was a priority criterion for re-employment. The re-employment of parents with developmental disabilities was at a lower level than the working conditions prior to their career break, or they were employed in completely different fields. I recovered my sense of self through my daily life and social communication. Even after reemployment, I still worried and felt anxious about my role as a parent, but the appropriate distance from my children actually made my relationship stronger. There is a need to expand the family support service system for parents of children with developmental disabilities and to establish a system at the national level to share education and treatment information.