Lived experiences of parents with deafblindness – not ‘a walk in the park’

To describe how parents with deafblindness experience parenting and family life. This a qualitative interview study. Fourteen parents with deafblindness were interviewed. Most were mothers (<i>n</i> = 10), with ages ranging between 33 and 57 years (mean 46 years). Interviews were transcribed, and the analysis was done using inductive qualitative content analysis. The analysis resulted in the overarching theme, ‘Living family life as a parent with deafblindness is not a walk in the park, but it is rewarding’, and three subthemes, ‘Being a competent parent despite having deafblindness’, ‘Needing support to fulfil my parental obligations’ and ‘Parenting is a struggle due to my deafblindness’. The results encompass many experiences and feelings and illustrate the complex reality of these parents in their parental role and family life. The parents expressed their joy in being parents, but these feelings were intertwined with negative aspects of being unable to take on the desired responsibility or not receiving the necessary support. When requested, tailored support should be offered from social services, health care and rehabilitation services in order for parents with deafblindness to take on the parental responsibility they want and to be able to actively participate in family life. The support needs of parents with deafblindness vary, depending on factors such as the effects of their deafblindness, their ability to identify and use strategies in their daily life as a parent, and the age and personality of their child; thus, it is necessary to tailor support to the individual.Parents with deafblindness require individualised support in order to be able to master the demands that occur in their lives and to enable them to live up to their standards of being a good parent; the lack of such support could lead to poor health for them and their families.In addition to formal support, parents with deafblindness value peer support; therefore, agencies that provide formal support can facilitate such encounters. The support needs of parents with deafblindness vary, depending on factors such as the effects of their deafblindness, their ability to identify and use strategies in their daily life as a parent, and the age and personality of their child; thus, it is necessary to tailor support to the individual. Parents with deafblindness require individualised support in order to be able to master the demands that occur in their lives and to enable them to live up to their standards of being a good parent; the lack of such support could lead to poor health for them and their families. In addition to formal support, parents with deafblindness value peer support; therefore, agencies that provide formal support can facilitate such encounters.