Five Key Issues that can Affect Parents of Disabled Children
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There are many different resources and services in place these days to help parents of disabled children. However, despite this, they still face many challenges in their day-to-day lives. Caring for a disabled child can be very difficult for any parent, particularly those who also have to juggle work and other commitments with childcare.
In today’s society, there are still a number of issues that are prevalent amongst parents of children with disabilities. These issues can really take their toll on the parents and even the siblings of disabled children. Fortunately, there is support available these days, which can help to ease the strain for parents and families.
Some of the main issues that can put families under strain
Various studies have demonstrated the range of issues that can put the families of disabled children under increased strain. Some of these include:
- Isolation: Many parents of children with disabilities feel isolated and alone. This is not necessarily because they do not have friends and family around them. It is more about the fact that they do not know anyone who can relate to what they are going through. Some parents may be unable to work or socialise much as a result of looking after a child with disabilities, which can add to the feeling of isolation that they experience.
- Relationship issues: The strain that caring for a disabled child can put on parents can result in many experiencing relationship issues. A study carried out by Relate demonstrated how relationship issues were rife amongst the parents of children with disabilities. In fact, according to the report, one-third of parents with a disabled child were experiencing relationship problems.
- Money worries: Reports have shown that the parents of children with disabilities are under huge financial strain. A combination of expenses linked to raising a disabled child coupled with cuts in financial support has led to many struggling when it comes to money. In addition, many are unable to go out and work because they have to be around to provide specialist care for their child, which further impacts on their financial situation.
- Stress and anxiety: The pressure on parents of children with disabilities can be enormous. This results in many parents experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety as well as depression. Of course, these issues can have a knock-on effect on physical health and can lead to a wide range of associated issues. This can make caring for their disabled child even more difficult for the parent, so it becomes part of a vicious cycle.
- Lack of time: Parents of a child with disabilities have to dedicate a lot of time when it comes to raising and caring for a child with disabilities. Naturally, this means that they have very little time for themselves, which can impact on many different areas of their lives. This can lead to the isolation mentioned earlier, as they have little time to see or socialise with friends. It can also mean that parents have little time for one another or to enjoy quality time to themselves.
Conclusion
These are just some of the key challenges that face parents of children with disabilities. Over recent years, concerns have been raised with regard to the lack of financial and general support that is available for these parents and their families. Given the impact that caring for a disabled child can have on the quality of life and emotional/physical health of parents, it is vital that more support is made available.
Sources
https://www.cafamily.org.uk/media/381636/forgotten_isolation_report.pdf