People with disabilities are increasingly exercising their right to become parents, and
maternity services in the ACT need to ensure that models of care are appropriate to
facilitate this. Current models of care are likely to be reactive to the medicalised
disabilities presented to the health care professionals, rather than pro-active and
collaborative with the mother. Current models of care must update to respect the
authority of mothers in their own needs, reflect the diversity of disabilities, and include
respectful support for parents with cognitive impairment to reduce the rates of child
removal.
You can read our submission below.