At risk of homelessness: disabling discourse and practices with families of disabled children
Gwynnyth Llewellyn, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Abstract
This presentation attempts to understand the discourse and practices around families of disabled children when they no longer are able to care for their child at home. Since the demise of institutionalisation of disabled children, families are expected under all circumstances to bring up their child at home. When this is no longer possible, and families seek to 'relinquish' their child, they are funnelled into the care and protection system in the absence of alternative ways of ensuring their child's safety, welfare and wellbeing. This paper questions this practice in the light of further disabling consequences for disabled children and their families. Case examples from recent practice in NSW, Australia under the 'Children's and Young People (Care and Protection) Act, 1998' will be used along with findings from a recently completed three year study with families of disabled children to illustrate the ways in which disabling discourse and practices are constructed around 'out-of-home placement' of disabled children.