COVID-19 response: Considerations for Children and Adults with Disabilities

COVID-19 response: Considerations for Children and Adults with Disabilities

Considerations for Children and Adults with Disabilities

A response document produced by the United Nations Agency UNICEF. It outlines the increased risk factors associated with people with a disability, including potentially reduced access to information and response measures. The document warns that “Girls and boys with disabilities may be at risk of exclusion from education if remote/ distance learning programmes are not accessible or they do not have assistive devices to allow participation and accommodate learning needs”. The document outlines ‘what we need to do’ (the ‘we’ appearing to be UNICEF workers and associates) to mitigate both the primary (catching COVID) and secondary impacts on this cohort, stressing the importance of inclusion and monitoring. Action related to the above warning is “Provide support to education actors to ensure that distance learning platforms are safe and accessible to children with disabilities; teachers are trained on supporting children with disabilities remotely; and that any special education programmes are included in measures to ensure continuity of education. Provide support to caregivers of children with disabilities, including those with development and/or intellectual disabilities, in implementing specific consideration when managing care and education of their children at home, and their own mental health and psychosocial wellbeing”.

UNICEF

https://sites.unicef.org/disabilities/files/COVID-19_response_considerations_for_people_with_disabilities_190320.pdf

UNICEF

UNICEF

Open access

hyperlink

English

hyperlink

https://sites.unicef.org/disabilities/files/COVID-19_response_considerations_for_people_with_disabilities_190320.pdf