Centering the knowledge of disabled parents to move towards disability-affirming family–professional partnerships

Abstract

Family–professional partnerships are critical for educational practice and other service provisions that support young children and their families. Yet disabled parents and caregivers face ableism in a variety of ways as they partner with professionals to care for and support the education of their young children. Moreover, they can have unique priorities, strengths, and support needs that often go unacknowledged or are dismissed by professionals. In this conceptual article, the authors apply a disability studies in education lens to discuss how disabled parents have described their experiences working with professionals in a variety of disciplines, how they resist the ableism embedded in the ways professionals work with them and their families, and their desires and priorities for the services provided to them and their children. The authors discuss this literature and its implications to put forth recommendations for disability-affirming family–professional partnership that combats ableism and centers the desires and resistance of disabled parents.