| Abstract [eng] |
Indrė Kontrimavičiūtė. Challenges of women with disabilities during the postpartum and early childhood periods: engagement opportunities for social workers. Supervisor: prof. dr. Eglė Šumskienė. Vilnius University, Faculty of Philosophy, Department of Social Work and Social Welfare. Vilnius, 2025. Keywords: women with disabilities, postpartum period, early childhood, social work, early intervention services for families. In recent years, research on the pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum experiences of women with disabilities has been growing; however, little attention is paid to the challenges faced by women with disabilities as soon as they return home from the maternity facility, and then during the early years of their child's life. Aim of the study: to investigate the challenges faced by women with disabilities during the postpartum and early childhood periods and to identify engagement opportunities for social work intervention. The focus of the study is on the challenges faced by women with disabilities during the postpartum and early childhood periods and engagement opportunities for social workers. A total of 7 interviews were conducted. The study focused on women living in Lithuania who: (1) have a mobility, sensory, intellectual, psychosocial, somatic, or multiple disability; (2) have children; and (3) understand the topic of the study and are able to answer questions and share their experiences. The participants included 3 women with mobility impairments, 2 with visual impairments, 1 with a psychosocial disability, and 1 with disability caused by a somatic condition. Women with disabilities during the postpartum and early childhood periods face challenges such as going outside with their child and being unable to access necessary assistance due to financial difficulties. Social workers can help organize personal assistance, but this service in Lithuania is limited – the demand exceeds the allocated funding. Additionally, mothers with disabilities experience fear of making mistakes and a lack of support related to child care. These needs could be addressed by early intervention specialists, who provide early intervention services for families. However, mothers with disabilities have reasons to distrust such services. The study revealed that women with disabilities often face discriminatory attitudes from healthcare professionals, doubts about their parenting abilities, questions about pregnancy termination, stereotypical thinking, and monitoring of their parenting. Such attitudes can discourage mothers with disabilities from seeking family visitation services. Women fear that asking for help or support will be seen as incompetence and worry that state institutions might take their child away. Social workers can play a crucial role by facilitating communication between women and healthcare professionals, helping women recognize and manage anxiety, and applying short-term interventions to support mothers in adopting health-promoting behaviors for themselves and their children. |
