Challenges faced by parents and guardians of children with disabilities in Zimbabwe. A case of Batsirai Special School ZIMCARE Trust · Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Author

Nyagoro, Shelter

Title

Challenges faced by parents and guardians of children with disabilities in Zimbabwe. A case of Batsirai Special School ZIMCARE Trust

Abstract

The qualitative study was conducted in Dzivaresekwa 3 at Batsirai Special School and it sought to explore the challenges faced by parents and guardians of children with disabilities. The study specifically examined the challenges that these parents and guardians face in trying to take care of their children, available coping mechanisms to alleviate the challenges and possible solutions to the challenges being faced. The researcher was guided by the Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs Approach in understanding the challenges faced by parents and guardians of children with disabilities. A qualitative approach was used through a descriptive phenomenological research design. The selection of a sample for the study was done using purposive sampling technique. The researcher used the principle of data saturation to reach a sample size of 9 primary participants and 4 key informants. Data were collected through in-depth interviews. The researcher used thematic analysis to generate themes that became the basis for data presentation. The findings show that parents and guardians of children with disabilities face challenges that vary from psychological, social and environmental factors making it difficult for them to take care and support their children. The findings also showed that the available support system has been assisting and helping to curb the challenges however due to discussed factors the support system on its own cannot stand alone as it seems insufficient and ineffective. The study recommends that there is great need for more founder and likeminded members to develop such centres in both remote and urban areas so that special schools are easily accessible like mainstream schools. The study also recomended that the government should adequately subsidized such centres through cash and kind and psycho-social support to parents with children with disabilities and their children. That Group Counselling be employed to allow parents or guardians with children with disabilities learn from each other’s circumstances with a view that would help them come to terms with their various situations.

Date

JUNE 2024

Publisher

BUSE

Keywords

Batsirai Special School
parents with children with disabilities
disabilities

Supervisor

Ms Muregi