 Dr.
Philip Patterson
Assistant Professor
School of Education
California
State University, Bakersfield
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to LASER Programs
|
Accessibility
of Early Childhood Services for Migrant Parents
of Children with Disabilities
Despite state and federal laws which mandate a cadre
of medical, social, and educational services for infants,
toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities, parents
and family members continue to shoulder the primary responsibility
for these children. This responsibility is not unreasonable
when considering the very significant role family members
play in the upbringing and everyday lives of children.
Nor is such responsibility necessarily overbearing when
resources and services are available. There are groups
of individuals in the United States, however, who may
not have knowledge of or access to important medical,
social, and educational services for their young children
with disabilities. Barriers to such important services
can include poor interagency collaboration, faulty referral
procedures, inaccurate diagnoses, weak search and serve
campaigns, and generally limited numbers of community
resources. Other barriers can include ethnicity, culture,
language difference, education level, and income. This
project will investigate the accessibility of early childhood
services to migrant parents of children with disabilities.
Migrant parents will be interviewed regarding their experiences
in obtaining medical, social, and educational services
for their infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities.
Results will inform clearer portraits of migrant workers
and their families, as well as verify issues related
to accessibility and equity. |
