A new study just out about parents living with disabilities and their kids from the National Council on Disability. Here are some of the key findings from the report:

• Estimates indicate 6.1 million children in the U.S. have parents with disabilities – Nearly 1 in 10, almost 10% of the population.

• Parents with disabilities are the only community of Americans who must struggle to retain custody of their children.

• Removal rates of parents with psychiatric disabilities is as high as 70 – 80%

• Removal rates of parents with intellectual disabilities is as high as 80%

• Extremely high removal rates and loss of parental rights for parents with sensory or physical disabilities.

• Parents with disabilities are more likely to lose custody of their children after divorce.

• Prospective parents with disabilities have more difficulty when it comes to accessing reproductive health care such as assisted reproductive technologies.

• Prospective parents with disabilities face significant barriers to adopting children.

• In the face of numerous obstacles, hope remains with several programs that show promise, long-term sustainable impact and potential for replication. With more funding, model programs currently serving American parents with disabilities could easily grow and develop nationwide to better serve this often overlooked population. 

Checkout the full report.

We have fact sheets on just about everything, in the Paralysis Resource Center, including Parenting with a Disability.

Rob

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