How far we have come

Already had this assignment before, but, need to have it rewritten so its not the same thing again. Please rewrite and make it different. Information in references is already there but you can add it it.

Abstract

Children often are the ones that will suffer with the many disabilities.  Most parents are denied custody in some cases of their children. The challenges that the parents face with the ever-intellectual disabilities with raising children. Several facts and arguments will be made to help with the support and the opposed individuals (parents) with intellectual disabilities trying to help with the up bring of their children. Helping with the support and the intervention, recommendations that are vital to this process will be outlined. With the challenges being made and the high expectations will all be met.

Introduction

People with disabilities have always been faced with problems that in most cases are associated with the perception of the members of the community. In most cases, they are people who cannot bring up healthy children. At the same time, they are perceived as people who do not have what it takes to be equal members of the society. However, the level of disability ought to be a consideration. Some of the people with disabilities have all it takes to raise their children and therefore they should not be denied the opportunity to do so. However, there is also a need to support them for the sake of making sure that their children are provided with all the resources they need to be as active as the children of healthy parents.

Historical trends to people with disabilities

The differences from ten years ago

There is a vast difference between what was happening ten years ago and what is happening now. In the modern day, the law and the members of the society have realized that disability is not inability. As a result, the law and the members of the society are trying to support the disabled rather than take away what they already have. Instead of taking away their children, measures to support them are put in place with the intention of making them enjoy parenthood and feel as part and parcel of the society (Cuskelly & Bryde, 2004).

How far we have come

The people with disabilities have been embraced more than ever. The private sector and the public sector are working together to make sure that people with disabilities are empowered. The steps include presenting the opportunities of employment, encouraging the disabled to be educated, nurturing their talents because some of them might not be good when it comes to academics, and making sure that they have access to the resources that are likely to make their lives better (Olsson & Hwang, 2001).

What still needs to be done

Significant strides have been made towards embracing the members of the society who have exceptionalities. However, more is yet to be done. It is imperative to remember that people with disabilities do not choose to be in their situations and at the same time they will continue to be born (McConnell & Llewellyn, 2002). Therefore, there ought to be ways in which the environment is changed to be friendlier and more accommodating. Some sections still see the disabled persons as a burden to the society, and therefore they deny those opportunities to better themselves. In this respect, there is a need to create awareness and make sure that the members of the society do not add pain to the lives of the disabled.

The case of Susan is an excellent example of the extent that the disabled people are willing to go for the sake of their loved one. Susan went back to school to fit to be a parent to her daughter. The action is an indication that there is a need to empower the disabled in the society (Cuskelly & Bryde, 2004). Most are the times when the disabled are seen as people who cannot be of help to the society, and therefore nothing is done to better their lives. Empowering them will make them more independent and contributors to the growth and developments of the nation.

How laws influence these decisions

Americans with Disabilities Act and IDEA

Americans with Disabilities Act is a legislation that looks after the well-being of the people who are mentally impaired. The Act makes sure that the people who are disabled are not discriminated because of their conditions. At the same time, the Act approves the registration of people who are disabled with the intention of making sure that they are recognized and supported in different ways (American Psychological Association, 2018). The law influences the decisions that are made whether in the court of law or real-life scenarios because they are in place to be followed.

Ethical principles that might apply to the situations

American Psychological Association

The ethical principle that applies in this situation is section three which talks about Human Relations. Chapter 3.01 focuses on Unfair Discrimination. The chapter prohibits discrimination based on gender, age, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, race, identity, disability, and any other aspect that makes people different ways (American Psychological Association, 2018). Therefore, it is apparent that people with disabilities ought to be treated as healthy members of the society in every way.

American Counseling Association 

The ethical principle that applies to this case is Forced Family Separation at U.S. Borders: Resources on Childhood, Family Trauma American (Counseling Association, 2014). The case that is at hand has touched on potential family separation, and therefore the ethical principle fits in perfectly. At one point or another, there have been interventions that have tried to protect the forced family separation in the two cases that have been focused on.

Arguments for and against

A parent with a disability should be given the right to raise a child. The mental state of a person is known in the first nine months of pregnancy. Where some may think that sustaining a pregnancy is an easy task, it is one of the hardest tasks that face the parents (Olsson & Hwang, 2001). If a parent can protect a child for nine months, it is only fair to let the parent enjoy the fruits of her labor. At the same time, it is imperative to note that a child has the right to be with his or her mother.

Despite the condition of a mother, there is a bond that is established between a mother and a child. This is one of the reasons why some of the children who are brought up by foster parents end up looking for their parents after they have grown up (Olsson & Hwang, 2001). The love that a mother offers to a child is immeasurable and cannot be offered by any other person. It is for this reason that there is a need to make sure that a parent is given the right to care for her child.

The life of a child should be taken with the seriousness it deserves. It is imperative to note that the experiences of a child in the current day will come to haunt the child in future. In this respect, it is essential to make sure that a child is cared for by a person who can do so (McConnell & Llewellyn, 2002). Taking a child away from a disabled parent is not punishing the parent as many see it. A disabled parent faces the challenges of taking care of her life, and this means that adding a child to her life would be stressing the parent more. Considering that this is a person who might not be in the best position to deal with stress, it would be essential to avoid the stress. A stressed disabled person might not give a child the best care that is needed to shape the child into an essential member of the society.

Love from a parent is not all that a child needs to grow. The support of a parent in different areas is also essential for the growth of the child. For example, a child who is normal needs to be with normal parents so that they can guide the child through his or her stages of growth (Cuskelly & Bryde, 2004). With the lack of parents who can support him or her, a child is exposed to the risks of failing to fit in with the other children of his or her age. In this respect, there is a need to make sure that the child is cared for by people who are mentally able.

Support or interventions

The family 

The family members play a significant role when it comes to the success. The video has exposed the audience to a scenario where the family members are involved in the lives of their disabled relatives (Olsson & Hwang, 2001). The family members should not allow the issue of custody to get to courts. It would be better for them to take the responsibility to support the parents. By doing so, the child receives care from the mother, and family members and the mother gets to watch her child grow.

Within the community

One of the reasons why the children of the disabled feel worse about their parents is because of the attitude that most members of the community have developed towards the people with disabilities. There is a dire need to change the perception and attitude of the members of the society towards the disabled. Awareness would come in handy to educate the members of the society that the disabled persons are also human beings and there is no need to look down on them (McConnell & Llewellyn, 2002). By doing so, the members of the society will be able to offer support to the families and the children. When the child lives in an environment where all members of the community are taking care of him or her, challenges of homework assistance and support from parental figures would be a thing of the past.

The school

The school has a role to play when it comes to taking care of the children of the disabled parents. There is a need to support the child by providing more attention to the child because the parents might not be in the position to help the child (Cuskelly & Bryde, 2004). It is paramount for the teachers to know the type of students they teach and to offer extra help when it is needed. At the same time, the counselors at the school should be dedicated to changing the lives of the students who have disabled parents. Continuous follow-ups are essential in this case.

Generalization of the issue to other exceptionalities

The challenges that people with intellectual disabilities face are almost like those other people with different disabilities face. For example, a person with a physical disability is likely to be mentally fit, but it might be a challenge for him or her to implement his or her idea. However, he or she is in a better position because with technology things can be made better as opposed to a person with an intellectual disability. Cases of people with physical disabilities losing the custody of their children are less, and this is because what matters more is the state of mind. When a person is mentally able to support his or her family, other issues are secondary (Olsson & Hwang, 2001). With the current evolving world, many employment opportunities do not need one to leave the house. Such opportunities only need the skills of using a computer. Therefore, the challenges that are faced by people with other exceptionalities are not as severe as those faced by people with intellectual disabilities.

A review of current thinking for and against people with exceptionalities raising children

Based on the sources, it is apparent that parents with intellectual disabilities have what it takes to raise their children. A good example is seen in the case of Susan. Susan proves that she can be a good mother by taking steps which transform her into a better parent than people could ever think (Cuskelly & Bryde, 2004). The case of Susan is however challenging because of her past which was affected by sexual harassment. Therefore, it is evident that if she was brought up in a peaceful environment, she might have turned out to be a better person despite her disability. It is essential to give people with disabilities a chance to be parents to their children.

A child should be supported by people who can provide him or her with all he or she needs to grow and develop. It is for this reason that it is not fit for people with disabilities to raise their children (McConnell & Llewellyn, 2002). However, there is the need for an external intervention of a person or people who are mentally stable. A good example is seen in the case of Mary Ann. The presence of her aunt changes her life for good, and that means that there is a need to have people who are mentally stable to help in raising the child.

References

American Counseling Association. (2014). Ethical & Professional Standards. Retrieved from https://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/ethics

American Psychological Association (2018). Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx

Cuskelly, M., & Bryde, R. (2004). Attitudes towards the sexuality of adults with an intellectual disability: parents, support staff, and a community sample. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 29(3), 255-264.

McConnell, D., & Llewellyn, G. (2002). Stereotypes, parents with intellectual disability and child protection. The Journal of Social Welfare & Family Law, 24(3), 297 31