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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Seen, Counted, Included: Using Data to Shed Light on the Well-Being of Children with Disabilities

UNICEF, 01 Feb 2023

Millions of children with disabilities around the globe continue to be left behind, despite the near-universal ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the call for action embedded in the Convention on the Rights of Persons

Insights from Moldova: Closing of a Residential Institution

Changing the Way We Care, 01 Feb 2023

After 60 years of serving as a residential institution for children with disabilities, the Hîncești Auxiliary Boarding school (SIA Hîncești) in Moldova closed its doors to children in May 2022. The closing of Hîncești SIA serves as a harbinger for what is possible for other institutions for children with disabilities in Moldova and around the world.

Learning Brief: Disability Inclusion in Care Reform

Changing the Way We Care, 01 Feb 2023

This learning brief was developed as part of the CTWWC 2022 annual report and shares learning from Kenya and beyond. It is intended to help other practitioners understand how disability inclusion happens by sharing examples of practice.

Reconocidos, Contabilizados, Incluidos: Utilizar los Datos para Arrojar Luz Sobre el Bienestar de los Niños y Las Niñas Con Discapacidad - Resumen

UNICEF, 01 Feb 2023

El informe tiene como objetivo promover el uso de estos datos con el propósito de dar más protagonismo a los niños y niñas con discapacidad y de ese modo lograr una conciencia más plena de sus vivencias.

Seen, Counted, Included: Using Data to Shed Light on the Well-being of Children with Disabilities - Executive Summary

UNICEF, 01 Feb 2023

The report’s objective is to promote the use of these data to make children with disabilities more visible, bringing about a fuller understanding of their life experiences.

Perspective din Moldova: Închiderea unei Instituții Rezidențiale

Changing the Way We Care, 01 Feb 2023

După 60 de ani de activitate în calitate de instituție rezidențială pentru copii cu dizabilități, Școala-Internat Auxiliară Hîncești (SIA Hîncești) din Moldova și-a închis, în cele din urmă, ușile în mai 2022. Închiderea SIA Hîncești și reint

Reintegrating Children with Disabilities in Rwanda

UNICEF, Changing the Way We Care, Republic of Rwanda National Child Development Agency, 31 Jan 2023

This case study documents the story of David's reintegration from a residential care home for children with disabilities in Rwanda to kinship care with his grandparents.

More Resources

Changing The Way We Care, Maestral FY22 Engagement and Outcomes

Changing the Way We Care, Maestral, 18 Jan 2023

With a focus on 2022-23 themes of transition of care services, development of family-based alternative care, participation of people with lived experience and disability inclusion, this report details several of the significant outcomes and program activities achieved by the work of the CTWWC Maestral team over the last year.

A/HRC/52/52: Support Systems to Ensure Community Inclusion of Persons With Disabilities, Including as a Means of Building Forward Better After the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 04 Jan 2023

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has published a new report following a request by the Human Rights Council on Support systems to ensure community inclusion of persons with disabilities, including as a means of building forward better after the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Support systems to ensure community inclusion of persons with disabilities, including as a means of building forward better after the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic - Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

Deinstitutionalisation in Europe

European Network on Independent Living (ENIL), 08 Dec 2022

This is an interview with Dragana Ciric Milovanovic, director of European Programs for Disability Rights International (DRI), during the European Launch of the Deinstitutionalization Guidelines, including in emergencies.