Are fathers included or excluded? A perspective on the role of fatherhood with regard to disability

Abstract

While studies on families with disabled children began in the Seventies, there is an even more recent interest on behalf of scholars in the father’s relationship when disabled children are concerned. However, in spite of its rich extension, this field of study still harbours many open and unanswered questions. Therefore, it is required to obtain new understanding on how and why some fathers with a disabled child have a regular behaviour while
others face a lot of difficulties. Drawing on these assumptions, a research project started in 2012: “Being fathers: cohabiting with disability”; its aim is that of using an educational and pedagogic point of view to investigate one of the least studied topics in the field of disability: father relationships and disability. The main research questions are: How is it possible to support and accompany the life plan of fathers of the disabled persons? Moreover, which actions and educational interventions would help to accomplish this? Starting from the first of these questions, the research will highlight some educational dimensions that may refine our reflexion on the importance of support provided to the families of people with disabilities. First impact with disability is a severe test for the whole family: it undermines the generative skills of the parents—understood as their ability to care for the
children—with effects and consequences for the children themselves. We believe that, in order to be good, practice should be able to provide support from the very beginning, and continue to accompany the whole family during the life path, thus establishing a global life project, including fathers.