Children with developmental disabilities may require long-term care and support for their development. This social responsibility is denied due to a lack of understanding by society. Parents/caregivers are the voices for children with developmental disabilities to advocate for their children’s rights. Amar Seva Sangam promotes Parents’ Advocacy groups for children with developmental disabilities at the community level. The objectives of these groups are
- To promote peer support
- To share information on disability rights
- To facilitate collective advocacy
Parents Advocacy groups are formed in 8 blocks of Tenkasi district in Tamil Nadu, and currently, 272 parents/caregivers have registered as members. Monthly meetings are organized by the groups and discussions on handling the day-to-day issues of parenting of children with developmental disabilities are discussed. The members in these groups support each other emotionally and share relevant information. ASSA aims to create district-level parent association to promote supported community living for their children, along with livelihood initaitives to support themselves and their children.
