On Mother’s Day, Special Needs Moms Call for Action

Ms Josephine Baah, a mother of a person living with cerebral palsy, has called on the government and duty bearers to put in structures and systems that support mothers of children with special needs. 

Ms Baah, who is pursuing a master’s degree in community-based rehabilitation, noted that her academic work has suffered due to the lack of assistance. 

“My caregiver left one Friday that she was going home for the weekend and has since not returned, I have been stuck at home, wondering how to juggle things,” she said. 

She was speaking at a gathering of the Inclusive Family Alliance (IFA), organised to honour its founder and Executive Director, Mrs Hannah Awadzi, as part of Mother’s Day celebrations 

The event highlighted the urgent need for systemic interventions to ease the burden on mothers of children with special needs, ensuring dignity, inclusion, and shared responsibility across society 

Ms Baah said, “I think I have been sick because of overthinking, trying to figure out how to survive without support.” 

Ms Faustina Antwi, another mother of a person with cerebral palsy, said there was the need for structures and systems such as care or respite programmes that mothers can access even if it is at a cost. 

“As it is there are no concrete structures and systems that support mothers of children with cerebral palsy in Ghana, parents especially mothers are left to carry it all by themselves but the load is very heavy and no family should be left to carry the load of nurturing a child with cerebral palsy alone.” 

Mrs Patience Asane, a mother of a 23-year-old lay with cerebral palsy and a pioneer member of the Inclusive Family Alliance called on government to pay close attention to families of children with special needs, especially children with cerebral palsy. 

“The challenges that come with nurturing a child with cerebral palsy are unique and there is the need to include parents’ voices and their lived experiences in policy formulation. 

Mrs Asane praised the Inclusive Family Alliance for leading the way in mentoring, peer navigation and serving as a community where parents of children with special needs feel at home and have a sense of belonging. 

She presented plaque, financial gifts, and parcels to Mrs Awadzi in recognition of her exemplary leadership and mentorship. 

Mr Emmanuel Hagan, Human Resource Manager at the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD), pledged the Federation’s continuous support. “The GFD will continue to push for the full inclusion of parents of children with disabilities in the policy space,” he assured. 

Source: GNA