Children with Disabilities

A disability includes a physical impairment such as mobility, hearing, visual, and language difficulties, and developmental delays which affect a person’s behaviour, emotional expression, and learning abilities. It includes mild to severe disabilities, from cerebral palsy, paralysis and amputation, to blindness, deafness, autism, and dyslexia. Children may be born with an impairment, or develop one as a result of disease, abuse, or an injury, e.g. many children are the victims of shootings, bombings, and explosions in conflict affected areas.

The degree of disability a person experiences is frequently related to society’s adaptation to meet the needs of people with varying abilities. This is known as the social model of disability which highlights the role of the environment in reducing or increasing the ability of individuals to participate equally in everyday life. For example, a person in a wheelchair has the impairment of not being able to walk. The disability, however, may be that he cannot take up services due to a lack of building access. Protection workers must consider any additional needs or risk factors a person may have as a result of his impairment and disability. Children in developing countries are more vulnerable to disability since poverty and conflicts increase the incidence of impairments, and reduce the provision of necessary health, education, social services, and adaptive provisions to help include children of all abilities.

Children with impairments or special needs are highly vulnerable to discrimination, abandonment, abuse, exploitation, injury and death, since they are more reliant on the cooperation and support of others to meet their basic needs, and may be less able to express their wishes. In some cultures, children with special needs are actively excluded from participating in society since they may be viewed as a source of shame, or unworthy of care and protection.

Government policies should seek to reduce the incidence of injuries and diseases via adequate health care, including education, immunizations, nutrition, and sanitation. All programming and policies for children should promote the social inclusion of children with disabilities at every level. Children should benefit from the reduction of physical and social barriers, adaptation of services and/or rehabilitation assistance in order to enable them to participate as fully as possible in their communities. This includes family support, health facilities, access to education, and respite services to enable children to fulfill their potential. Children of all abilities must be empowered to express their views and to influence their own lives.

The resources in this section focus on children with disabilities in developing countries, and those affected by conflict. They highlight their vulnerability to exclusion and abuse, and provide examples of projects to address the needs of children with special needs.

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Awareness within local authorities in England of autism spectrum diagnoses of looked-after children

Parsons, Sarah, McCullen, Alice, Emery, Tracey and Kovshoff, Hanna - British Educational Research Journal, 15 Oct 2018

This study sought to find out the current numbers of autistic Looked-After children formally recorded across local authorities in England, and whether their needs are given special attention via strategic planning and oversight, using Freedom of Information (FoI) requests sent to all local authorities in England.

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Needs of families of children with cerebral palsy in Bangladesh: A qualitative study

Reshma Parvin Nuri, Heather Michelle Aldersey, Setareh Ghahari - Child: care, health and development, 10 Oct 2018

In this study, the authors explored the needs of families of children with cerebral palsy in Bangladesh. Such understanding is important as it will help to improve services for children with disabilities and their families.

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Children and young people with intellectual disability in residential childcare: Prevalence of mental health disorders and therapeutic interventions

Alba Águila‐Otero, Carla González‐García, Amaia Bravo, Susana Lázaro‐Visa, Jorge F. del Valle - International Journal of Social Welfare, 09 Oct 2018

The main goal of this article was to explore the correlates of mental health diseases in a sample of 169 children with intellectual disability (6–18 years old) in residential care in Spain compared with a group of 625 children, also in residential care but without disability.

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Social Protection and Disability in Kenya

Krystle Kabare - Development Pathways, 01 Oct 2018

This report provides insights into the current situation in Kenya regarding the inclusivity of social protection for people with disabilities.

Adverse Childhood Experiences in Children with Intellectual Disabilities: An Exploratory Case-File Study in Dutch Residential Care

Jessica Vervoort-Schel, Gabriëlle Mercera, Inge Wissink, Emmelie Mink, Peer van der Helm, Ramón Lindauer and Xavier Moonen - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 28 Sep 2018

In the present exploratory study 69 case-files of children referred to a Dutch national center for residential youth care for children with intellectual disabilities (ID) were analyzed to assess the prevalence and associations of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).

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Infanticide and Abuse: Killing and confinement of children with disabilities in Kenya

Disability Rights International, 27 Sep 2018

This report is the product of a two-year investigation by Disability Rights International (DRI) into institutions and orphanages across Kenya. The report describes the "egregious human rights violations" perpetrated against children with disabilities in Kenya, particularly those who are confined to institutions and "orphanages."

Country Care Review: Algeria

Better Care Network , 21 Sep 2018

This country care review includes the care-related Concluding Observations adopted by the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Country Care Review: Poland

Better Care Network, 21 Sep 2018

This country care review includes the care related Concluding Observations adopted by the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Deinstitutionalization and Transformation of Institutions for Children with Behaviour Problems in Croatia within the Context of Education and Research - In the Middle of (No)Where?

Jeđud Borić, Ivana ; Ćosić Andrea, 20 Sep 2018

The purpose of this paper is to critically reflect on the conditions and context of deinstitutionalization and the process of transformation of the institutions for children with behavioural problems from several key aspects: current offer of treatment programs and interventions in institutions and communities, competences of professionals in transformation process, research related to needs and risks of children and education of future professionals.

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Mental health outcomes among youth in foster care with disabilities

Junghee Lee, Laurie Powers, Sarah Geenen, Jessica Schmidt, Jennifer Blakeslee, Insik Hwangc - Children and Youth Services Review, 18 Sep 2018

This study tests the associations of risk and protective factors on mental health outcome variables of youth in foster care with disabilities.

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