There are several million EU citizens with a disability or with special educational needs. They are one of the largest groups of disadvantaged citizens in the EU. Every ten minutes another parent receives the news that their child is disabled. For parents, raising a child with a disability can cause more daily stress, long-range health problems, feelings of isolation, high levels of stress, increasing in depression than parenting a child without disabilities.
When parents learn that their child has a disability or a chronic illness, they begin a journey that takes them into a life that is often filled with strong emotion, difficult choices, interactions with many different professionals and specialists, and an ongoing need for information and services. Initially, parents may feel isolated and alone, and not know where to begin their search for information, assistance, understanding, and support.
ASK Parents – All Special Kids Parents project has been developed expressly to respond to the information needs of parents-those who have just learned their child has special needs and those who have lived with this reality for some time but who have reached a transition point where they need new information or renewed support.
The project is intended as a source of information and reference for parents who have a child with special needs. The intended and most important message of the stakeholders for the parents of children with special needs is making them feel that ‘THEY ARE NOT ALONE!’
The main aim of ASK Parents project is the promotion of psycho-social adjustment and to raise the quality of life of the families with children who are at risk of development or disabled by guiding, counselling and training services through ensuring active participation in the education of their children. We think that children benefit most from their education when parents and professionals work together as partners.
The consortium of the project consists of 6 different countries: Turkey, Spain, Italy, Malta, UK and Romania.