Experience of Parenting and Physical Disability

Rad se bavi temom roditeljstva osoba s tjelesnim invaliditetom. U uvodnom dijelu predstavljena je problematika roditeljstva s tjelesnim invaliditetom, potrebe i najčešći problemi te mogući modeli podrške roditeljima s invaliditetom. U kvalitativnom istraživanju, provedenom u ožujku i travnju 2009. godine, sudjelovalo je 8 roditelja s tjelesnim invaliditetom, ispitanih metodom polustrukturiranog intervjua. Cilj istraživanja bio je dobiti uvid u iskustva takvih roditelja, odnosno, kako doživljavaju sebe kao roditelje, koji se problemi mogu pojaviti u takvoj vrsti roditeljstva, koji su primarni izvori podrške koje koriste te koje su, prema njihovom mišljenju, potrebe roditelja s invaliditetom. Na temelju dobivenih rezultata moguće je zaključiti da roditelji s invaliditetom sebe doživljavaju kao kompetentne roditelje te ne smatraju svoj invaliditet preprekom za roditeljstvo, iako su svjesni da iz njihovog invaliditeta proizlaze neke poteškoće, od kojih prvenstveno izdvajaju emocionalne poteškoće te problem mobilnosti. Primarni izvor podrške koji koriste su obitelj te materijalna pomoć na državnoj razini. Roditelji s tjelesnim invaliditetom slažu se da su vrsta i težina invaliditeta primarni faktori koji utječu na njihove potrebe, no smatraju kako bi se poboljšanjem položaja osoba s invaliditetom, uklanjanjem prostornih barijera te boljom zakonskom regulacijom uvelike pomoglo i da takvi roditelji sa svojom obitelji što kvalitetnije sudjeluju u životu zajednice.The paper deals with the topic of parenting for persons with physical disabilities. In the introductory part the parenting problems of persons with physical disabilities are presented, their most common needs and problems they face, together with the possible models of support of parents with disabilities. In the qualitative research conducted in March and April 2009 eight parents with physical disabilities participated. The method of half-structured interview was used. The aim of the study was to obtain insight into the experiences of parents with physical disabilities – how they perceive themselves as parents; what kind of parenting problems arise from their disability; what primary sources of support they use, and what are, in their opinion, the needs of parents with disabilities. On the basis of the obtained results, it is possible to conclude that parents with disabilities perceive themselves as competent parents, and their disability is not considered an obstacle to parenting, although they are aware that some difficulties in parenting arise from their disability, mostly emotional difficulties and problems with mobility. The primary sources of support they use are their family and the material help at the state level. Parents with physical disabilities agree that the type and severity of disability are the primary factors that influence the needs of parents with disabilities, but also think that certain improvements of their position - like removing spatial barriers and better legal regulation – would be of great help to them, and would enable them and their families to better participate in community life