Publication: Empowerment of Parents with Children with disability and other persons
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2016
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Abstract
There is a significant dearth of empirical research on prevalence of disability among youth (between ages15-24 as per the United Nations) and on their living conditions. Estimates suggest that there between 180 and 220 million youth with disability worldwide and nearly 80% of them live in developing countries (Tarricone, Nicole & Mangiaterra,2005) A lot of studies have been done on persons or children with disabilities in the world Africa and Kenya as well but not much attention however, has been directed to parents, or guardians of children with disability. Having a child with disability poses a significant risk to parents’ physical and emotional wellbeing (Greenberg, seltzer, & Greenley, 1993; Kling, Selter, Ryff, 1997) which may directly negatively affect the children. .As many as children with disability then parents and guardians will double up worsening the socio-economic status of the families. However, these risks may vary across different racial and ethnic groups, given diverse cultural norms, resources and support available to these parents (magma & Smith, 2006; Mary 1990). Furthermore within each minority population, different factors may account for the variability in the extent to which having a child with disability leads to negative health and mental health consequences (Harry 2002).Research examining parenting with disabilities reveals that parents with a disability can be good parents (booth McConnell booth 2006).However, there is inadequate Kenyan research to examine systemic responses to parenting with disabled children. There is also a limited legal and political discourse that defines what constitute reasonable efforts by the Kenyan state and community towards these families. The rights of the child and right of parent as a person with a disabled child are often presented as contradictory resulting inadequate consideration of the universal declaration of human rights UDHR and constitution of Kenya (2010) where the family is seen as the fundamental group unit of society (article 16). The seeming lack of access to resources, support and funding options often results in parent’s inability to provide effective or timely responses which compounds the difficulties experienced by many families (Tarleton & Howarth 2006).It is imperative that practical and effective solutions are found and implemented immediately.
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Parents of Children With Disability Disabled Child,, Prevalence,, Physical and Emotional Wellbeing