Mother and Soldier: Raising a Child with a Disability in a Low-Income Military Family

Abstract

This article presents the results of a study of six low-income women, each of whom is raising a child with a suspected or diagnosed disability while also serving as an active member of the armed forces. Their experiences as they attempt to strike a balance between the highly demanding work role of the military and their role as a mother of a child with disabilities are examined. This article also discusses the personal strengths these women display, the barriers they confront, the strategies they use to negotiate competing demands, and the impact of this effort on their personal and professional lives. Practice and policy implications are drawn for early intervention and family support programs.

Identification of Disabilities and Service Receipt Among Preschool Children Living in Poverty

“…Many of these same families report difficulties accessing Part C services; a variety of supports, however, do facilitate both enrollment and persistence in Part C services (Sonoma State University, 2002;Summers et al, 2001;Taylor et al, 2005). Difficulties that vulnerable families report accessing Part C services were evident among families participating in the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation (EHSRE) Project.…”

Introduction to the special issue: Family Support of Persons with Disabilities Across the Life Course

“…Furthermore, faith-based organizations have also assisted at the community level in meeting unmet needs for family support services for parents of young children with autism spectrum disorder, in particular, religion and spirituality has been positively associated with well-being (Ekas, Whitman, & Shivers, 2009). Greater levels of spiritual involvement have been reported for African American and Latino parents of children with disabilities, and research has documented how Latino and Asian American parents have reframed their children's disability within religious terms (Jegatheesan, Miller, & Fowler, 2010;Lobar, 2014;Manning, Wainwright, & Bennett, 2011;Taylor et al, 2005). Future research needs to explore the role of these community-level organizations and the mechanisms through which they provide support to family members assisting people with disabilities across the life course.…”

Are the Needs of Single Parents Serving in the Air Force Being Met?

“…The studies done by researchers over the years have virtually ignored a substantial proportion of the population of the United States Air Force. Although there has been some recent research on single parents serving in the Armed Forces, much is conducted on the Army or the Navy (Taylor, Wall, Liebow, Sabatino, Timberlake, & Farber, 2005).…”