Challenges faced by parents of children with learning disabilities in Opuwo, Namibia

BACKGROUND : Parenting children with learning disabilities requires a high level of knowledge and access to resources, information and services. In developing countries, however, these resources and services are not always available. Parents in Namibia, a developing country, therefore face challenges addressing children’s learning and other developmental disabilities, including challenges related to preventative and supportive interventions. OBJECTIVE : This research focuses on challenges faced by parents as they parent children with learning disabilities in Opuwo, Namibia. METHOD : In-depth interviews were conducted with eight parents regarding the challenges they face in parenting their children with learning disabilities. Thematic analysis enabled the researchers to identify, analyse and report on themes that emerged from the qualitative interview data. RESULTS : Analysis of the interviews indicated that some participants had only a vague understanding of learning disabilities, as they did not have access to essential knowledge about this phenomenon. They also lacked an awareness of the availability of programmes, services and policies meant to benefit their children with learning disabilities. Participants voiced that they, their children with learning disabilities and community members have stereotypes and prejudices regarding learning disabilities. In this study, most of the children with learning disabilities were raised by single, unemployed parents who seemed to have access to less support from external sources than married couples parenting children with learning disabilities. These single parents are usually not married and because of lack of financial support from the other parent, the majority of them indicated that they struggle to meet the financial and material needs of their children. CONCLUSION : The researchers concluded that the participants in this study experience a range of challenges in parenting their children with learning disabilities. The main challenges emanate from financial instability, as well as lack of knowledge regarding services and programmes for children with learning disabilities. This lack of knowledge on the part of participants could indicate poor policy education by policy implementers at grass-roots level.http://www.ajod.orgSocial Work and Criminolog

Challenges faced by parents in parenting children with learning disabilities in Opuwo, Namibia

When parents learn that their child has a learning disability, they begin a journey that takes them into a life that is often filled with strong emotions, difficult choices, interactions with many different professionals and services (VanPelt, 2007:53). In Africa, learning disabilities are considered a complex phenomenon seeing that there has not been an African derived definition of learning disabilities. Hitherto, tools and formulas used to diagnose learning disabilities are western based (Abosi, 2007:198). Due to elusive understanding of the phenomena among the general public, children who have learning disabilities are victims of derogatory and dehumanising terminology such as stupid , underachievers or slow learners . These terms affect not only the children with learning disabilities alone but their parents as well. Due to such attitudinal barriers as well as lack of understanding of the phenomena, parents of children with learning disabilities are often predisposed to eternal grieving over their circumstances. It is against this background that the study sought to explore the challenges faced by parents of children with learning disabilities in parenting such children. The social model of disability was utilised in order to gain insight into the way that society presents challenges to children with impairments. With themes such as participation, human rights, social change, the social model of disability promotes independency, positive self-image and stimulates potential in persons with disabilities (Ife, 2001:461). This model was found to be very appropriate as it also entails the core values of social work such as social justice, social change, human rights and respect for human dignity. The study was conducted using a qualitative research approach. The study was exploratory in nature and the type of research was applied. The phenomenological design was utilised. A total of eight participants took part in the study. A two-stage sampling process was employed to select participants for the study. These sampling methods were purposive sampling, as well as voluntary sampling. Data was collected from the caregivers by way of in-depth interviews. The outcome of the empirical study revealed that learning disabilities as phenomena were not clearly comprehended by the caregivers of children with learning disabilities. The lack of knowledge regarding learning disability as a concept amongst the participants had far reaching effects in terms of knowledge of programmes, services and policies that are meant to benefit children with learning disabilities and their parents. The research findings also confirmed previous research studies which found that the initial attempt to obtain information regarding a child s disability is a time consuming and difficult process as caregivers are bound to meet obstacles. Due to the inaccessibility of information regarding learning disability services, none of the participants in this study had a formal diagnosis conducted in terms of her child. It was concluded that knowledge regarding policies pertaining learning disabilities was very limited. Participants could not articulate specific policies that benefit children and parents of children with learning disabilities. This may indicate inadequate policy education on the part of policy makers and implementers. It was further determined that participants were not aware of the services of social workers as none of them had sought assistance for their children with learning disabilities from a social worker. The findings and the literature confirmed that families of children with disabilities are generally poor and suffer from financial hardships. Therefore it is recommended that practitioners such as social workers empower these caregivers by helping them to establish small enterprises which can generate income that will help them meet their needs. Female caregivers may be the most appropriate target group as research indicates that small enterprises have a higher likelihood of success if conducted by women.Mini Dissertation (MSW)--University of Pretoria, 2015.tm2016Social Work and CriminologyMSWUnrestricte