The social health of family with disabled child during period of early childhood and school years

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The purpose of the study is to compare social health of families with disabled children of early childhood and school age. The social health of family with disabled child is defined as satisfaction of family members with their position in society, their opportunities for social functioning, self-realization and interaction with social institutions that ensure their social security and support, accessibility of social environment and medical and social services. The results of original sociological surveys of parents implemented in 2017 and 2020 were applied. The emphasis is made on the peculiarities of functioning of families depending on the age of disabled child. The article demonstrates the problems of social health of families with disabled children of early childhood and families whose disabled children reached school years. The particular resources for solving these problems are discussed. The changes in social status and life strategies of parents are considered. The dynamics of medical social and other related family problems depending on the age of the «special» child is discussed. The problems of insufficient accessibility of social environment and medical and social services are revealed. The need of families with disabled children in early assistance and comprehensive support from the state services at the level of interdepartmental interaction is determined. The main directions of such support are established depending on life situation of parents and their expectations, the state of health and the degree of disability of the child. The article highlights the need to organize comprehensive support centers for families with disabled children and/or a system of personal supervision of such families involving volunteers. The main functional responsibilities of personal supervisors are defined. The practical recommendations are developed to improve the system of comprehensive support for families with disabled children.