Parenting a child with a disability
Parenting a child with a disability can bring great joy to your family, but there can also be additional stresses, challenges, and difficulties. Navigating a diagnosis, therapies, funding, and supports can feel overwhelming. Data from Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) showed a higher prevalence of mental health problems for parents of children with disabilities compared to parents of children without disabilities, across all child ages (Chen et al., 2023).
You and your family may experience feelings such as grief, disbelief, confusion, anger, sadness, guilt or relief. These feelings may extend into the past, such as wondering if something could have been done differently, or if you did something wrong. They may also extend into the future, such as worry about what the future holds for your child, or grief for the future you imagined for your child.
Some of the expectant and new parents who access support from Gidget Foundation Australia are in the early stages of this journey and find it helpful to work through their thoughts and feelings. Some parents feel a sense of shame around their feelings, or don’t want to feel like they are burdening others, or that others find it hard to relate to what they are going through. Some parents are well supported by family and friends; however, others may not have close networks available to them, or they may face judgement or negative interpretations of the child’s disability, which can add to feelings of isolation. There are often multiple professionals involved focussing on the wellbeing of your child, and it can be helpful to also have a space for you as the parent to feel held, heard, safe and supported.
Local playgroups, children’s activities and childcare are great places to connect with people at a similar stage of life. A supported playgroup or early intervention program may be a place to connect with people who are more familiar with your day-to-day challenges. In Australia, the rights of people with disability are protected under the Australian Disability Discrimination Act 1992. Children with disability have the same rights to access activities and childcare as other children. If your child attends childcare, speak to the Centre Director to see what inclusion support might be available.
Some children with disability will be eligible for Early Childhood Early Intervention (ECEI) through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Public and private therapy options vary according to where you live – a local GP or paediatrician is best placed to advise you regarding what services are available near you.
Additional services that can support parents include:
- Raising Children Network –articles and videos for parents and carers of children with disability
- Carer Gateway – emotional and practical services and support for carers. Ph: 1800 422 737
- Parentline – telephone counselling for parents and carers of children aged 0-18 (please check for the phone number in your State or Territory)
- Siblings Australia - resources for supporting siblings of people with disability
Reference:
Chen,C., Bailey, C., Baikie, G., Dalziel, K., & Hua, X. (2023). Parents of children with disability: Mental health outcomes and utilization of mental health services. Disability and Health Journal, 16(4), Article 101506.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dhjo.2023.101506
