Superheroes or caregivers?: mother's perspectives on raising a child with a developmental disabiity

The purpose of my study was to listen to parents of children with developmental disabilities and gain insight into what they experience in the process of raising their children. The interviews for this study were conducted in February 2021. Therefore, the responses from the participants were heavily influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Several models of disability were used to understand how disability is viewed and understood. Symbolic interactionism was used to understand the experiences of parents of children with developmental disabilities. This theory is useful in understanding the children with developmental disabilities' lived experiences and interactions with others. A qualitative approach was used for my research, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with five mothers recruited from the Acadia S.M.I.L.E. (Sensory Motor Instructional Leadership Experience) program at Acadia University. The interviews were fully transcribed and coded into the following themes: barriers, the effects of COVID-19, segregated versus inclusive education and, lastly, lack of resources. The findings show that most mothers experience similar barriers when accessing supports and services for their children and have similar concerns for the future of their children. I conclude by proposing recommendations and possible future research ideas related to my findings.