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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Serbia’s Experience in the Social Inclusion of Children with Disability

Nenad Ivanisevic, State Secretary , 10 Sep 2014

On 10 September 2014, UNICEF and the Permanent Mission of Bulgaria co-hosted a high level Lunchtime Discussion on the right of children below three years to live in a caring and supportive family environment: examples from Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Serbia focused its presentation on the support provided to families of children with disabilities and the importance of investing in family-support services at municipal level.

The right of children to live in a caring and supportive family environment: examples from Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia: Serbia Presentation

Nenad Ivanisevic, State Secretary, Government of the Republic of Serbia - Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs, 10 Sep 2014

On 10 September 2014, UNICEF and the Permanent Mission of Bulgaria co-hosted a high level Lunchtime Discussion on The right of children below three years to live in a caring and supportive family environment: examples from Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Serbia focused its presentation "Serbia’s Experience in the Social Inclusion of Children with Disability" on the support provided to families of children with disabilities and the importance of investing in family-support services at municipal level.

The Right of Children to Live in a Caring and Supportive Family Environment: Examples from Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia

UNICEF & The Permanent Mission of Bulgaria, 09 Sep 2014

My Home, My Choice in Hungary: The right to community living for people with mental disabilities in 2014

Mental Disability Advocacy Center , 01 Sep 2014

Despite Hungary signing on to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), there has been no significant change in the number of people with disabilities in Hungary who are placed in institutions. Mass institutionalisation continues to be the predominant form of care for people--including many children--with mental health issues and intellectual disabilities.

Grandmothers Raising Grandchildren with Disabilities: Sources of Support and Family Quality of Life

Karen E. Kresak, Peggy A. Gallagher, and Susan J. Kelley , 11 Jul 2014

This study focuses on examining the mediating effects of social support on familial well-being or quality of life in order to help professionals identify and enhance sources of support for all grandparent caregivers.

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Deinstitutionalization in Croatia: A Summary of Open Society Support

– Judith E. Klein – Open Society Foundation, 01 Jul 2014

This paper examines the benefits and challenges of de-institutionalizing disability residential services in Croatia through Open Society Foundation’s Mental Health Initiative (MHI).

Country Care Review: Indonesia

Better Care Network, 13 Jun 2014

This country care review includes the care related Concluding Observations adopted by the Committee on the Rights of the Child as part of its examination of the third and fourth periodic reports of Indonesia (CRC/C/IND/CO/3-4) during its 65th Session at its 1890th and 1891st meetings held on 5 June 2014, and adopted, at its 1901st meeting, held on 13 June 2014.

Deinstitutionalization of Children in Bulgaria: How Far and Whereto?

UNICEF, 01 Jun 2014

This Review, commissioned by UNICEF Bulgaria, is aimed at informing the recommendations for the Bulgarian Government’s Action Plan for the implementation of the National Strategy ‘Vision for Deinstitutionalisation of Children in Bulgaria.’

Girl Safety Toolkit

Girl Hub, 21 May 2014

This tooklit provides a comprehensive guide to designing safe programmes specifically for adolescent girls.

Country Care Review: Azerbaijan

11 May 2014

This country care review includes the care related Concluding Observations adopted by the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as part of its examination of the first periodic report of Azerbaijan under Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at its 125th and 126th meetings, held on 1 and 2 April 2014, respectively.