CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

Impact on Families with Children with Disabilities

Impact on Families with Children with Disabilities

Introduction

Children with disabilities and their families are diverse - as are all American children and families. And, each child with a disability is unique. Children differ by gender, ethnicity and culture, personality and interest. They are members of a variety of types of families in various socio-economic, geographic and community contexts (Roeher Institute, 2000b). While we are lacking specific numbers on disability and race or cultural origin, in America, we know that children with disabilities are ethnically and racially diverse. Overall, five percent of all children are First Nations, Inuit or Métis, five percent were born in another country, and 7.5% speak neither French nor English as a first language (CCSD, 2001a; Roeher Institute, 2000b). According to the Aboriginal Peoples Survey, 22% of Aboriginal youth (aged 15 to 24) were reported to have a disability this was more than three times higher than that of non-Aboriginal youth seven percent.

Discussion and Analysis

Children with disabilities

Historically, many children with disabilities were not visible. They lived in large institutions, away from their families, and communities. Now, most children with disabilities live at home with their families in communities across the country. However, this change has not resulted in children with disabilities being full and active members of our communities. Their needs have sometimes been forgotten when addressing the needs of adults with disabilities. Moreover, despite all the policy attention going to children in recent years, children with disabilities have sometimes been excluded. The needs of parents caring for children with disabilities have also been overlooked. And for some children with disabilities - for example, for Aboriginal children with disabilities and their parents-the situation is even more pronounced (Valentine, 2001).

Many children with disabilities and their parents are not fully included in all aspects of society and do not enjoy full citizenship. What does it mean to be fully included in society? It means children and families are able to participate with choice. It means that individual children are involved in activities and social structures in a way that is meaningful to their own unique experience. It means that they truly belong, have community, and are equal participants in that community. Rather than making it the responsibility of children and families to fit the 'program', real inclusion starts from the experiences of the child and challenges society to provide a meaningful place for them. Inclusion values diversity, and recognizes and values commonalities in people's lived experiences and aspirations for themselves and their children (Freiler, 2002).

Family Life

Most children with disabilities are valued members of their families. They grow within loving relationships with their parents and their brothers and sisters. They share the joys and sorrows of family life. While in the past many families were told their children should be institutionalized if they were disabled, today most children with disabilities live at home with their parents and siblings and they are likely to do so for most of their childhood (Roeher ...