Protecting the Rights of Parents with Disabilities - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Protecting the Rights of Parents with Disabilities

By: Ellie Dunning, Lori Hansen, Ashley Housten, Katherine Hutson, Hailey Johnson, Jamie Kaplan, Jessica Koster, Katy Lyznicki, Cambey Mikush, & Kara PetersSlide2

Introduction

Movie– I am Sam

I am Sam Trailer

Parenting is the “last frontier for people with disabilities” in their fight for full inclusion, and is a highly likely arena for prejudice (Kirshbaum & Olkin).Slide3

Issue:

Attitudinal & Political Barriers

Societal Stigma

State Policies

There are approximately 8.4 million parents with disabilities = 15% of all U.S. ParentsSlide4

Issue:

Negative Actions and Behaviors

In a national survey by Through the Looking Glass,

13% of parents reported pressure to have an abortion 15% reported attempts to have their child taken away 8% faced barriers interfering with or preventing them from adopting

For parents with mental illnesses, custody loss rates are as high as 70-80%

In the early to middle

1900s, there were laws allowing

for the forced sterilization of

60,000 Americans with disabilities,some as young as 10 y.o.Slide5

Issue:

Reasons for Continued Limitations...

Inadequate financial resources

Environmental barriers Lack of positive role models and familial support

Limited social support networks

Prevailing stigma and societal views

Limited and flawed research and literature

Largely unsuccessful implementation of the ADA and Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 State codes that focus on conditions rather than behaviorsSlide6

Target Population

People with disabilities who are parents or wish to become parents2000 US Census polled 72.3 million families

28.9% had someone in the family with a disability

18% reported the head of the household as having a disability

General lack of recent, substantive data on the number of parents currently living with a disabilityRemain a highly invisible populationFlawed assumptions about the low prevalence of parents with disabilitiesSlide7

Context

Parenting is an important and meaningful occupationOTs can help individuals with disabilities participate in this occupation by:

Providing comprehensive person, environment, and activity assessments

Determine which supports and education are needed to enable the individual to be a successful parent

Help the individual obtain the needed supports and educationSociety’s focus needs to change from the parent’s disability to the child’s well-beingIf proper supports are provided and the child’s well-being is secure, then it shouldn’t matter that the parent has a disabilitySlide8

Efforts to Address the Issue

Through the Looking GlassGiving parents with disabilities the support they need to be successful parents

3 year grant awarded in 2008

Funds research in hopes of increasing knowledge about the issue

Informs local, regional, and national policies in hopes of a change Baby-care equipmentWheelchair lap trays for nursingBaby liftersNational Parent to Parent NetworkNational Parents with

Disabilities BlogSlide9

Options

ADA of 1990 prohibits discrimination based on disability Title IIPeople with disabilities are able to benefit from state and local government

activities, programs, and

services

People with disabilities cannot be discriminated against in areas of their child’s education or social servicesCovers services such as Child Protective Services and public educationTitle IIINon-discrimination requirements limiting exclusion, segregation and unfair treatment from public accommodations such as public accommodations, private schools, and day care centers Slide10

Definition Recommendation

Child protection systems operate on the three central themes when assessing parental rights:Child safety

C

hild permanency

Child well-being By outlining these three areas as protections for parents with disabilities, the focus will be on the child’s well-being rather than the stigma of the parent with a disability. Slide11

Policy

RecommendationWe propose amending the ADA by adding Title VI to specifically outline the rights of parents with disabilities though:

Social policy

Community supports

Research funding to ensure that adults with disabilities will have equal opportunity to be a parentSlide12

Social Policy Recommendations

Increase public awareness by creating coalitions of like-minded organizations to pool resources and advocate together for change on a global scale Increase the resources available to

Lobby

Conduct research

Disseminate informationAddress framing and marketing issuesIncrease financial backing Slide13

Community Support Recommendations

Enhancing community supports for parents with disabilities is a critical step in enabling successful parentingInclusive parenting classes

Flexible childcare services

Central transportation

centers Home support programs Equipment sharing programs Slide14

Funding Recommendations

Creation of a coalition to compel the government to increase the scope of funding to meet the needs of parents with disabilities

Local community grants, like the United

Way

National Parents with Disabilities and their FamiliesSlide15

Implementation: Obstacles

FundingLack of money

Securing

initial

fundsAllocating ResourcesStigmas: Community and individualSlide16

Occupational Therapy Role

Person Level

: Identify the client’s strengths and limitations related to parenting

Environment Level: Identify supports and barriers to successful parenting Advocate

Spread awareness

Help

build alliances

within a community Serve as consultants Highlight the existing parents that are loving and supportive parents to their childrenSlide17

Conclusion & Discussion

I Am Sam clip

Thank you for listening!

Any Questions or Comments?Slide18

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