The journey of parenthood is one that is often described as one of the most beautiful and rewarding experiences people will ever have. Unfortunately, this is not always the experience of parents with disabilities, and usually their disability isn’t the cause of the difficulty. There are millions of parents with disabilities living in America and, because they’re disabled, they are more likely to face financial, attitudinal, and medical barriers related to parenting. Additionally, parents with disabilities are more likely to have their parental rights revoked based on the false assumption that they aren’t able to care for their children independently because they are disabled.
There’s no “one way fits all” in the area of parenting. It is understood that mistakes will be made. Non-disabled parents are granted autonomy in parenting, as well as the right to try and fail multiple times as a part of the learning experience. However, in many instances, parents with disabilities aren’t given the same opportunities with their children. Parents with disabilities are more likely than non-disabled parents to be involved with child welfare systems, and once involved, they are at higher risk of having their parental rights terminated. This is a sad reality for many parents with disabilities across the nation.
Rather than allowing implicit biases to determine outcomes for families, we should presume competence in parenting for people with disabilities. As with other aspects of life, such as housing and employment, if people with disabilities are given the supports they need for parenting, they are able to enjoy the beautiful and rewarding experience that raising children has the potential to be.
