Stigmatic representation of intellectual disability and termination of parental custody rights

This chapter will argue that the long-standing stigma toward people with intellectual disabilities which underpinned eugenic ideologies in the early twentieth century continues to influence contemporary practice and attitudes and is very much evident in child protection work. Despite the existence of a number of international human rights treaties intended to safeguard the right of people with disabilities to form relationships and have and raise children, these rights continue to remain under threat. We contend that the regulatory focus has shifted from directly governing the sexuality of people with intellectual disabilities to governing one of the potential outcomes of sexuality-children-specifically in the area of child protection and child custody proceedings.