Children with developmental disabilities (DD) require early and coordinated services, yet parents often face obstacles in accessing adequate support. This study examined parents’ experiences with early intervention in Serbia to identify barriers, supports, and context-specific challenges. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 15 parents of children aged ≤ 6 years. Interviews (30–50 min) were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed in line with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Studies. Seven themes emerged: recognition of concerns, first steps in seeking help, complexity of procedures, information gaps, emotional and practical challenges, collaboration with professionals, and recommendations for improvement. Parents typically noticed developmental delays, especially in language and motor skills, by age two but encountered lengthy and fragmented referral pathways, long waiting lists, and insufficient guidance. Parents emphasized the value of empathetic professionals and peer networks while also reporting stigma and social isolation. This study contributes new evidence on how structural barriers and cultural attitudes in Serbia shape families’ access to early intervention. Findings highlight the need for streamlined referral systems, transparent and accessible information for families, and interdisciplinary training for professionals. Addressing these issues could reduce delays, alleviate parental stress, and promote better developmental outcomes for children with DD.

Background: Families of children with intellectual disabilities often experience increased caregiving demands that may contribute to elevated parenting stress. Family routines represent an important aspect of everyday family organization and may support adaptation by providing structure, predictability, and continuity. However, the role of family routines in relation to parenting stress among families of children with intellectual disabilities remains insufficiently understood. This study aimed to examine parenting stress, the frequency and perceived importance of family routines in families of children with and without intellectual disabilities, and the associations between family routines and parenting stress. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among parents of children with intellectual disabilities and parents of typically developing children. Family routines were assessed using the Family Time and Routines Index (FTRI), and parenting stress was assessed using the Parental Stress Scale (PSS). Group differences were examined using appropriate nonparametric and categorical-data tests, while associations between parenting stress and family routines were examined using Spearman rank-order correlations separately by study group. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted in the pooled sample to examine the incremental contribution of family routines to parenting stress beyond study group and selected sociodemographic and family characteristics. Group routine interaction terms were additionally tested to examine whether these associations differed between the TD and ID groups. Results: Parents of children with intellectual disabilities reported significantly higher levels of parenting stress compared with parents of typically developing children. Significant differences were observed in the frequency of family routines, with parents of typically developing children reporting more frequent routines across assessed domains. Higher frequency of family routines was significantly associated with lower levels of parenting stress in both groups. In the pooled regression analysis, family routine frequency and perceived importance together explained an additional 6.6% of the variance in parenting stress beyond study group and selected sociodemographic and family characteristics. In the final model, greater family routine frequency was independently associated with lower parenting stress, whereas perceived importance did not make a significant independent contribution. No significant group × routine interactions were observed. Conclusions: The findings suggest that the regular organization of family routines represents an important aspect of family functioning associated with parental well-being. Supporting families in establishing and maintaining adaptive routines may represent a valuable component of family-centered interventions for reducing parenting stress and strengthening everyday family functioning, particularly among families of children with intellectual disabilities. Longitudinal and intervention studies are needed to further clarify the role of family routines in supporting family adaptation.