PARENTING
المؤلف:
APRIL HAMMOND
المصدر:
Caring for People with Learning Disabilities
الجزء والصفحة:
P163-C10
2025-10-29
43
PARENTING
Traditionally, the role of a parent is seen predominately as an adult one, not suited to children. So, for people with learning disabilities, the discriminatory connotations associated with their being child-like can be further complicated by beliefs that it is not appropriate for children to take on a parenting role. Reder et al. (2000) saw parenthood as ‘Not an activity which sits comfortably within the paradigm of childhood as constitutes the child’s appropriate role and place in the adult world’. This indicates that if an adult with a learning disability is considered to be child-like in behavior, then assumptions about the ability of this adult to be a parent could be made based on assumptions of a child’s ability to be a parent. This assumption also implies that before an adult with a learning disability can be considered as suitable to be a parent, s/he must first be seen as an adult. This then leads to questioning what adult qualities and behaviors contribute towards an acceptable paradigm of parenting. The Oxford Thesaurus (1994) describes being an adult as being seen as being mature, sensible, grown up, responsible, wise, prepared and ready. These admirable qualities have not, historically, been attributed to people with learning disabilities. The role of a parent has also been described as ‘One of the most valued social roles in Western Society’ (Woodhouse et al. 2001), whereas having a learning disability is probably still considered one of the least socially valued attributes to have in today’s society. Years of discrimination and prevention, either with or without good intentions, have made it very difficult for people with learning disabilities to prove that they have the maturity and wisdom to be good parents. When opportunities for people with learning disabilities to be parents did arise, all too often, a decision on their behalf was made to prevent this happening.
The following case study illustrates how such a decision was made for a young woman with learning disabilities.
Case study
A young woman, who had a severe learning disability and could not communicate verbally, was placed in an institution in the late 1940s as a child when her parents were advised it would be best for her, as it was assumed she would never behave like an adult and would always need to be looked after. She gradually developed more independent skills, but did not learn to talk. As a young woman, she used to walk to and from her ward to the day unit, independently. She appeared happy in her own way but it was noted that she did not have any particular friends in the institution. It was a total shock to the staff when she was found to be approximately five months’ pregnant and unable to explain how it happened. A few months later, she was taken to the local hospital to give birth and then brought back to the institution, whilst the baby remained in the hospital, awaiting adoption. The staff were very supportive towards her in the hospital but reported that it was a terrible experience for her, as she was still just like a ‘child’ herself. Afterwards, she was given a daily oral contraceptive pill and continued to walk alone to and from the day unit. The father of the child was never identified. Nothing more was reported about the baby and it is unknown what she was told about the baby.
Ten years later, she moved to a residential home and began a new life in the community. Many years later, an Advocate tried, unsuccessfully, to locate further information about the baby and the father.
Consider the following:
• How would a young woman of the same age, with a learning disability, who became pregnant, be viewed by today’s society?
• How would a young woman of the same age, but without a learning dis ability, who became pregnant, be viewed by today’s society?
• What, historically, might have affected the actions of the care staff?
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