Women with Disabilities ACT has made a submission to the Inquiry into Raising Children in the ACT. Parents with disabilities in the ACT (in particular women*) have unique experiences, barriers and
challenges and are too often left out of policies and programs. Our submission highlights these unique experiences, and points to policy considerations and actions to address issues faced by parents with disabilities in the ACT.
We address a range of issues in our submission: including cost of living pressures, availability of affordable housing, support networks, access to health services, support for prospective parents, access to fertility treatments, the increased risk of interaction with the child protection system for parents with disabilities, and gendered violence.
We were invited to give evidence at the public hearing for this inquiry, and recordings are available through the Legislative Assembly website.
You can read our submission below.