This study aims to explore the meaning and essence of the public guardians’ experiences
in providing the public guardianship service for people with developmental disabilities. For
this purpose, the qualitative data were collected from in-depth interviews with 7 public
guardians working in G Metropolitan City, and the collected data were analyzed by Colaizzi
analytic method, and 70 meaning units, 15 categories, and 5 themes were emerged from the
analysis. The themes of public guardians’ experiences in supporting people with developmental
disabilities were as follows: ‘jumping with expectation and anxiety’, ‘facing unfamiliar things’,
‘obstacles in the way’, ‘a new world that delivers learning’, and ‘one step taken forward’.
Therefore, this study has found that despite various difficulties and obstacles, the public
guardians are devoted to protecting the rights and interests and improving independent living
of people with developmental disabilities, and contribute to establish and develop the public
guardianship system. Based on these results, this study offers suggestions for supporting the
public guardians’ activities for people with developmental disabilities.