Impact: Feature issue on supporting parents who have cognitive limitations (vol. 11, no. 1)

2004

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Few occurrences are more joyful than the birth of a child. But, what happens when that child is born to a parent or parents with cognitive limitations? On such an occasion, the joy of birth and its promise for the future often become shrouded in ambiguity. How can a person with a cognitive impairment manage the complexities of parenting? As with all parents, the answer is, "with support." The recently popularized saying, "It takes a whole village to raise a child" applies to parents who do not only struggle with the demands of parenting faced by all those raising children, but who also struggle with barriers related to disability, as well as (often) to poverty and prejudice. This issue of Impact is focused on how "the village" in many different locations is actively engaged in supporting persons with cognitive limitations to be successful in raising their children. This support is offered while also giving priority to every child's birthright to a safe, healthy, loving, and stimulating childhood. It is our hope that the attitudes, strategies, and personal stories found in these pages will offer service providers, policymakers, and others a less commonly experienced perspective on what it means to be a parent and on what it takes to raise a child.

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