Parenting a child with a disability: Essential ingredients for well-being in the early years

Centre for Research in Human Flourishing (CRHF) seminar in association with the School for Parents, Nottingham

Presented by Anne Emerson, School of Education, University of Nottingham, and School for Parents, Nottingham 

The experiences of parents of children with disabilities have been well documented for many years yet their needs for information, advice, advocacy, social and emotional support continue not to be met. Although the diagnosis of a developmental disability can be traumatic for families and lead to prolonged stress, with appropriate support mothers can experience increased empowerment and well-being. This event reports on recent research with mothers who attend School for Parents regarding what they have received from statutory services and why they chose to attend an alternative provision. Services such as physio, occupational and speech and language therapy focus on the needs of the child and work with parents to facilitate their son or daughter’s development. However, many parents feel ill-equipped to provide the necessary support for their children outside appointments and services largely leave their social and emotional needs unmet.

School for Parents, with their highly qualified staff who work intensively with children and get to know the whole family well, provide a place where people can attend for hours at a time and meet others going through similar experiences. Mothers report the ways in which they and their children gain in knowledge, skill and confidence, extending from the setting of School for Parents into other spheres of life. The model of service delivery offered by School for Parents is suggested for consideration by statutory service providers and a plea is made for professionals to routinely inform parents about what they could gain by attending.

Lunch and Refreshments will be provided