People with disabilities as parents

All people are allowed to realize a fulfilling family life with their own children - this naturally also applies to persons with disabilities. Sharing life with children is a great joy, but at the same time it means a great responsibility with additional challenges.

Perhaps you are worried as a (future) grandparent or relative if one or both parents are impaired. Here's where you can find appropriate counseling and support services to help your family.

For parents with disabilities, everyday family life is often particularly stressful. It is helpful if you as parents or relatives offer your help in caring for and looking after the child. This alone may not be enough. Competent counseling can also help to obtain the appropriate assistance to which the future parents are entitled. This can be quite diverse offers of different service providers and depends on the individual life situation.

For parents with physical disabilities, learning difficulties or mental illness, there are numerous support services that facilitate active parenthood. In order to enable these parents to have a lasting perspective on life together with their child, there are entitlements to

• financial assistance,
• material assistance to facilitate everyday life with child, for example, a barrier-free crib, special changing tables, etc. and
• personal aids such as a parenting assistance or accompanied parenting.

The support is always based on the nature and severity of the impairment and the individual circumstances. In the foreground is the goal of ensuring the well-being of the child.

People with disabilities and their close relatives have a particularly large number of questions about family planning, child care, support and education. Special counseling centers and self-help groups provide information, advice, support and networking in a particularly targeted and sensitive manner.

• On the website of the State Government Commissioner for People with Disabilities you will find many references to counseling centers and contacts in your area.
• For people with disabilities and their relatives, there is a comprehensive and free network of 60 advice centers in North Rhine-Westphalia, the Supplementary independent participation counseling.
• Also in the ssix Competence Centers Self-Determined Living (KSL.NRW) you can get advice.

Also the counseling centers for pregnancy issues and the services of the open disability work are competent contact points for questions of relatives about parenthood of people with disabilities.