Section III: Home Supports
A small percentage of children with disabilities require special features to go in and out of their home (4% or 6,600 children) or to use inside their home (6% or 10,000 children).
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While a low percentage of children with disabilities have requirements for specialized features to go in and out of their home or for specialized features within their home, those who do have such a requirement have a high rate of unmet need.
Among those who require specialized features to go in and out of their home, 63% have some level of unmet need and most of these (42%) have a totally unmet need (while 21% have a partially met need). (Chart 2.10)
Among those who require specialized features within their home, there is a similar situation—61% have some level of unmet need. In fact, nearly half (48%) have a completely unmet need. (Chart 2.11)
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The most commonly required features for getting in and out of home for children with disabilities are ramps or street level entrances (required by 4,980 children) and 39% of these children have an unmet need for those features.50 (Table 2.5)
| Table 2.5 | |
| Number of Children with Disabilities Requiring Specific
Specialized Features for Getting In and Out of the Home and for Within the Home |
|
|
Number Requiring |
|
| Getting In and Out of Home | |
| Ramps or street level entrance |
4,980 |
| Elevator or lift device |
2,950 |
| Widened doorways or hallways |
2,600 |
| Automatic or easy to open door |
2,100 |
| Within Home | |
| Grab bar or bath lift device in bathroom |
6,820 |
| Elevator or lift device |
2,810 |
| Widened doorway |
2,530 |
| Automatic or easy to open door |
1,610 |
| Source: PALS, 2001 | |
| Note: All numbers should be used with caution due to small sample size. | |
The most commonly required specialized features within the home for children with disabilities are grab bars or bath lift devices in the bathroom (required by 6,820 children); and nearly half of the children requiring them (48%) have an unmet need.51 (Table 2.5)
In addition to the supports required within and around the home to address the needs of the child with a disability, the child's parents often require supports with other activities. The care that they provide for their children can take time and effort away from a variety of other essential household activities. Parents of 34% of children with disabilities report that they require some type of household support due to their child's disability. This translates into the families of 51,980 children. Support to 'take time off for personal activities' is required by 31% (representing 47,760 families); 24% (36,750 families) require support to take time off to attend to other family responsibilities; and 13% (20,110 families) require support with everyday housework. (Table 2.6)
| Table 2.6 | |||
| Number and Percent Families of Children with Disabilities
Requiring Supports with Daily Activities Due to Child's Disability |
|||
| Type of Support |
Number Requiring |
Percent Requiring |
Percent Unmet Need |
| Everyday housework |
20,110 |
13% |
80% |
| Take time off to attend to other family responsibilities |
36,750 |
24% |
67% |
| Take time off for personal activities |
47,760 |
31% |
65% |
| Any of these supports |
51,980 |
34% |
66% |
| Source: PALS, 2001 | |||
There is a high degree of unmet need for all these requirements. Among those who require support with housework, 80% have an unmet need. Overall, about two-thirds of those who require some type of support have their needs go unmet.
- 50 This number should be used with caution due to low sample size. Other rates of unmet need cannot be released due to low sample size.
- 51 Use this number with caution due to low sample size. The only other rate of unmet need that can be released for "within home" is for elevators/lift devices—unmet need is 53% (use with caution).