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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Better health, better lives: children and young people with intellectual disabilities and their families

World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe, 07 Nov 2010

The purpose of this paper is to provide background information and offer pragmatic steps in relation to priority no. 3 of the European Declaration on the Health of Children and Young People with Intellectual Disabilities and their Families: “To transfer care from institutions to the community”. The paper was produced in preparation for the conference in Bucharest, Romania 26-27 November, 2010.

Cambodia Country Report: Poverty alleviation with a focus on vulnerable peoplethrough strengthening collaboration between the social welfare and health services

Ministry of Health and Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, 01 Aug 2010

This report from the Cambodian Ministry of Health and Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation outlines the efforts of the Cambodian government to address the needs of vulnerable people.

The Development of Gate-Keeping functions in Central and Eastern Europe and the CIS Lessons from Bulgaria, Kazakhstan and Ukraine

Andy Bilson , 01 Jun 2010

This report looks at children who enter institutional care because of being without parental care, children with disabilities, child victims of abuse and children in conflict with the law. The aim is to identify key routes through the systems in order to understand the nature of the difficulties that lead children to be placed in institutions and thereby to be able to identify alternative strategies that will better support families and children.

Overlooked: Children with Disabilities in Residential Care

Alexandra L. Trout, Kathryn Casey, M. Beth Chmelka, Catherine DeSalvo, Robert Reid, and Michael H. Epstein, 13 May 2010

This study evaluated data of 123 children with and without disabilities in residential care to determine demographic, behavioral, mental health, and educational characteristics.

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Best Practices in Inclusive Education for Children with Disabilities: Applications for Program Design in the Europe and Eurasia Region

Lynn Losert - Creative Associates International, Inc.; Aguirre Division of JBS International, Inc.; USAID , 01 Mar 2010

The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of best practices in inclusive education, inform stakeholders of the current status of inclusive education in the region, describe the contextual factors which affect program implementation, and make recommendations of practical start-up steps for inclusive education programs.

Interagency Guiding Principles on Unaccompanied and Separated Children: FRENCH VERSION

Interagency Working Group on Unaccompanied and Separated Children , 19 Feb 2010

The Guidelines from the IAWG provide some of the strongest direction for ensuring emergency efforts protect family unity and avoid child-family separation. Where family unity can not be preserved, these guidelines instruct on tracing and family reunification, care arrangements, durable arrangements, special issues related to refugee children, and promotion of children’s rights.

http://www.crin.org/docs/Inter-agency%20Guiding%20Principles%20on%20Unaccompanied%20and%20Separated%20Children_French.pdf

Persons with Disabilities and the Humanitarian Response in Haiti

Women's Refugee Commission, 05 Feb 2010

Key messages and guidance for action

Handbook on Preventing Violence Against Children

Canadian Red Cross , 2010

The Canadian Red Cross has produced a handbook on the prevention of violence against children. The handbook includes specific guidance on preventing violence against vulnerable children, such as children in institutions, children involved in armed conflict and children with disabilities.

Supporting Families to Care for Children with Disabilities in Georgia

Save the Children, 2010

This one-page case study describes the situation of one family in Georgia caring for their daughter with cerebral palsy and the interventions and services provided by Save the Children that enabled the family to get the support they needed to care for their daughter, and enabled the girl to improve her cognitive and motor skills.

Progress for Children: Report Card on Child Protection

UNICEF, 01 Sep 2009

The first comprehensive resource on child protection statistics. Includes data on children without parental care, child trafficking, child marriage, children with disabilities, etc.