Quality of life and provision of social rehabilitation services in elementary school age children with special needs in Riga City

Long-term quality of life of children with special needs has not been studied in Latvia, and information on changes of quality of life (QoL) rates during child’s development period is insufficient. The aim of the study was to analyze and compare the QoL related self-reports of school age children with special needs, which were repeatedly carried out once a year (2009–2010), with the proxy reports of their parents, as well as to compare the obtained results with Europe normative data on QoL developed by KIDSCREEN research group; to investigate the provision of social rehabilitation services for such families. The study was carried out in Riga municipality 2009–2010. Altogether 34 families with 8–11 years of age children with developmental disabilities participated in the study. Both parents and children filled KIDSCREEN-52 questionnaire, but a survey developed by a group of researchers “Social services” was used to gather information from the parents about the received children and family centered social services in the period between the both quality of life assessments. Results showed statistically significant changes in the latest quality of life self-assessment rates of school-age boys and girls with special needs in time period 2009–2010. Participants of the study – children with developmental disabilities – in both cases reported a lower QoL in comparison with Europe normative data on QoL developed by KIDSCREEN research group