Parents with a disability
Intro - History - Issues - Rights - Resources - Service
Rights and advocacy:
How Do I Get the Services I Need?
Often new parents with disabilities struggle in isolation and fatigue. Don’t struggle alone! This is the time to get the help you need from family, friends and support services. You need to take a pro-active role in obtaining your supports before and after the baby is born. Ask yourself some important questions on the practical issues of parenthood:
Depending on your disability and other individual factors, your support needs will vary so it is up to you to work out the type and level of support you may have to obtain. These supports may be to do with childcare and respite, attendant care, medical issues, housing, transport, money matters, specialised equipment and parenting strategies and other important matters.
However, because most of these services have had little contact with parents who have disabilities, it is unlikely that they have made accommodations for you being both a parent and having a disability. Therefore, you may have to work extra hard to educate yourself about the service system and find services that can help.
Many support services are covered in the community resources listing.