LACK of academic support, transportation, and health benefits are some of the challenges faced by parents of children living with disabilities, who are calling for more assistance in caring for their offspring.

The parents who spoke with the Jamaica Observer highlighted the cost of care for their children during Disabilities Awareness Week held from December 3 to 9.

Deon Evans, who has a 10-year-old son living with Down syndrome, noted that she would often have to pay out of pocket whenever she takes him to get medical treatment as she cannot afford health insurance for him.

“I am a single, unemployed mother. My son doesn’t talk and he’s not potty trained. If something should happen to him, he cannot express and explain himself. If there is something concerning, you would see him touching the area on his body. I would take him to his paediatrician to do blood tests, X-rays — and all those would have to come out of pocket because there is no insurance,” she said, noting that he also has three holes in his heart, which increase his chances of getting ill.

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) latest report, Caring for children with disabilities — managing the Triple Threat to Families, 57 per cent of the respondents in a survey were employed and 43 per cent unemployed.

All the unemployed respondents were women — mother or grandmother of the child with a disability — an overwhelming majority of whom had been out of work for over one year.

Most of the women reported that they became unemployed after the child with the disability was born, and continued to remain unemployed out of an obligation to care for the child at home.

Further, Evans said there needs to be more resources to foster the development of children living with disabilities at the Early Stimulation Programme in Orange Bay, Portland.

“The school needs to be more equipped for the children and teachers. We need more financial assistance and in terms of even having more staff because of these children you could say they need a one-on-one [type of attention]. A class should never have less than three teachers,” she said.

“I live a few miles away from the school and with that we have to get private vehicles because they cannot travel in the public transportation by themselves. It is so costly for the day to find about $3000 or $4000 to transport a child to school, and we are not working. There should be transportation to help with our children” Evans added.

Meanwhile Bryan Wellington, who is the father of a five-year-old son with mild autism, echoed similar concerns.

“Sometimes it’s a bit hard but I try my best to make him comfortable. Where I work, sometimes they pay us late but I try my best to save something to keep providing for him. Monthly for his health I would spend more than $50,000. I would really appreciate financial assistance for him,” he told the Observer.

“I took out health insurance for him so it took some of the burden off the medical bills. He is a heart patient as well with a hole in his heart, and without the health card I’d have to pay up to $5000 or more. The Government needs to help the parents, even financially, each month for school or health care, and open more schools for them,” he added.