Parental willingness to engage with services is an important indicator of motivation. Engagement, participation in meetings, and expressed commitment to caring for a child may reflect intent and readiness to change. However, willingness alone does not necessarily demonstrate a parent’s functional capacity to provide consistent, safe and nurturing care.
The Child Death Review Board’s thematic analysis of twelve cases identified circumstances in which parental willingness was clearly evident, yet the parent’s practical ability to consistently meet the child’s needs was not fully understood. Across these cases, families often experienced multiple and interacting vulnerabilities, including mental ill health, domestic and family violence, substance use, and cognitive impairment. These factors can affect day-to-day caregiving capacity in ways that are not always visible through engagement alone.