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STATE OF THEWORLD’S CHILDREN

EASTERN CARIBBEAN AREA SUPPLEMENT

A Stakeholders’ Survey: their opinions and perspectives on the issues and challenges facing children with disabilities.

Researched by Consultant Jan BlenmanThe recommendations in this supplement represent the views

of stakeholders and do not necessarily refl ect the position of UNICEF.

COVER PHOTO CREDIT: UNICEF/ECA/Haynes/2010

Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................4

INTRODUCTION ...................................................................4

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .............................................5

PROJECT LIMITATIONS .......................................................5

STAKEHOLDER RECOMMENDATIONS .............................10

CALL TO ACTION ................................................................11

COUNTRY PROFILES ........................................................ 13

Anguilla .....................................................................14

Antigua And Barbuda ................................................15

Barbados .................................................................16

British Virgin Islands (BVI) .........................................17

Dominica .................................................................18

Grenada ....................................................................19

Montserrat ...............................................................20

St. Kitts And Nevis ....................................................21

St. Lucia ...................................................................22

St. Vincent And The Grenadines ...............................23

Trinidad And Tobago ..................................................24

Turks And Caicos Islands ..........................................25

1 UNICEF | State Of The World’s Children Eastern Caribbean Supplement

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We wish to extend our thanks to stakeholders who consented to par-ticipate in the survey and freely gave their opinions and perspectives on the issues and challenges facing children with disabilities living in their respective communities.

We all wish to offer our thanks to those persons in the statistical units or departments who lent assistance in providing census data on children with disabilities.

INTRODUCTION

UNICEF’s f lagship publ icat ion, The State of the World’s Children Report (SOWCR), annually analyses

the global situation of children. The 2013 edition is examining the situa-tion of children living with physical, mental, intellectual, and sensory impairments; the main challenges to and opportunities for realising their rights; and recommending ways for decision-makers at all levels to advance these children’s inclusion and participation. This Eastern Caribbean Area supplement which covers the countries in the joint Governments of the Eastern Car ibbean Area/UNICEF Mult i Country Programme is to be read in conjunction with the global State of the World’s Children Report and not a stand-alone document. The coun-tries examined in this document are Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, the British Virgin Islands,

Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. It reports on the estimated prevalence of children with disabili-ties in these islands, giving insights to the range and types of disabilities that are found in these commu-nities as well as providing some stakeholder perspectives on prior-ity needs, and potential strategies to increase greater participation of children with disabilities in regional communities. The supplement also gives a stakeholder overview of major developments in the past ten years of the legislative and policy environment of individual islands as it relates to people living with disabilities.

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UNICEF | State Of The World’s Children Eastern Caribbean Supplement 2

| Anguilla |

| Antigua |

| Barbados |

| British Virgi Islands |

| Domini

ca |

| Gre

nada

| | M

onts

erra

t |

| St. K

itts &

Nevis |

| St. Lucia |

| St. Vincent & the Grenadines |

| Trinidad & Tobago | | Turks &

Caicos|

INTERVIEWS COMPLETEDThis diagram outlines the number

of interviews completed per island.

102

6

10

11

7

8

8

9

9

10

7

9

8

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Two sources of information were used for this supplement: (i) a stakeholder survey; and (ii) data from the 2000/2001 census. Stakeholder perspectives were gathered from 102 interviews covering all 12 countries that were completed by telephone survey using a question-naire comprising eight open ended questions. Interviews were conducted with stakeholders from a wide cross section of organizations involved with children with disabilities, for example, the Ministries of Health, Education and Social Welfare, national associations representing persons with disabilities, schools and other learning institutions, NGOs, sporting and other social and community interest groups, as well as parents and guardians of children with disabilities. Table 1 outlines the number of interviews completed per island.

Data on children with disabilities and other population demographics pre-sented in this report was sourced from the government statistical units respon-sible for the census in the relevant country as well as data compiled in the 2000 Round of Population and Housing Census Sub-Project - 2001 National Census Reports that were developed for most countries under the CARICOM Capacity Development Programme (CCDP). Data for the 2010/11 Census data was presented where available.

PROJECT LIMITATIONS

REPORTING STANDARDS FOR AGE GROUP CLASSIFICATIONS FOR CHILDRENThe Convention on the Rights of the Child defines children as fall-ing between the ages of 0 and 18 years. However, in most instances, census data was tabulated for chil-dren between 0-19 years of age. In some instances, the information source was unable to re-tabulate the data for the 0-18 age classifi cation. In some islands, the data that was available was grouped for (i) children with disabilities 0-14 years of age

AGE RANGE0-14

ANTIGUA DOMINICAST. LUCIA

TURKS & CAICOS

AGE RANGE0-18

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS MONTSERRAT

ST. KITTS & NEVISTRINIDAD & TOBAGO

AGE RANGE0-19

ANGUILLABARBADOSGRENADA

ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES

AGE RANGE15-24

ANTIGUADOMINICAST. LUCIA

TURKS & CAICOS

Youth With DisabilitiesChildren With Disabilities

and (ii) youth with disabilities 15-24 years of age. Table 2 below gives a summary of how the available data was presented in this report by age classifi cation from the informa-tion source.

DISABILITY CLASSIFICATIONS Disability classifi cations/labels varied somewhat from country to country. In addition, most countries did not

routinely identify children for intellec-tual impairments.

2010 CENSUS DATAThe 2000/2001 census data was used for all 12 countries as certifi ed data for the 2010/2011 census that disaggregates data for the disa-bility population was not available for most of the countries with the exception of St. Lucia.

Table 2 : Age Ranges of Children and Youth with Disabilities by Country

Table 1 : Number of Completed Interviews per Country

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The findings presented in the report primarily represent the opinions of stakeholders interviewed in the rel-evant Caribbean countries and data gathered from relevant census sources.

The 12 countries are at different stages of achievement of inclusive societies where children with disa-bilities are afforded their basic rights, treated with respect and dignity and are afforded the opportunities to max-imise their potential to live, develop and contribute to their respective communities. It was found that more boys than girls were identifi ed with disabilities in the 2000/2001 census in the majority of the Caribbean coun-tries surveyed. Learning, Sight and Speech impairments were recorded as the more prevalent impairments found in children across the Eastern Caribbean Area.

NUMBER OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES Age classifications used for children with disabilities differs from country to country but fall into 3 main group-ings 0-14 years of age, 0-18 years of age and 0-19 years of age. Given the variations in age groups, comparisons cannot be made across the countries. Table 3 provides the number of children with disabilities and its representative proportion of the children and national populations at the time of the census.

PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES OF THE POPULATION OF CHILDRENThe proportion of children with disabili-ties as a percentage of the population of children in each country ranged from 0.7 per cent to 3.5 per cent.

PERCENTAGE OF BOYS WITH DISABILITIES OF TOTAL POPULATION OF BOYSThe proportion of boys with disabilities as a percentage of the population of male

children overall ranged from 0.8 per cent to 3.8 per cent across the 12 countries.

PERCENTAGE OF GIRLS WITH DISABILITIES OF TOTAL POPULATION OF GIRLSThe proportion of female children with disabilities as a percentage of the female population of children ranged from 0.6 per cent to 3.1 per cent across the 12 Eastern Caribbean area countries.

Anguilla Antigua Barbados

BritishVirgin Islands Dominica Grenada Montserrat

St. Kitts & Nevis St. Lucia

St. Vincent and the

GrenadinesTrinidad

and Tobago

Turks &

Caicos

Relevant Age Group 0-14 0-14 0-19 0-18 0-14 0-19 0-18 0-18 0-14 0-19 0-18 0-14

Number of children with disabilities 83 277 2,402 239 241 500 16 329 452 307 5,250 39

Population of Children 4,170 18,033 73,237 6,917 20,549 44,585 1,237 16,969 46,702 43,815 458,414 5,693

National Population 11,430 63,863 250,010 23,161 69,775 103,134 4,922 46,325 156,734 106,253 1,262,366 19,886

Children with disabilities as percentage of Children population

2.0% 1.5% 3.3% 3.5% 1.2% 1.1% 1.3% 1.9% 1.0% 0.7% 1.1% 0.7%

Children with disabilities as percentage of National population

0.7% 0.4% 1.0% 1.0% 0.3% 0.5% 0.3% 0.7% 0.2% 0.3% 0.4% 0.2%

Table 3 - Number, Percentage of Persons Reporting a Disability or Infirmity

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Children with Disabilities as a Percentage of the Population of All Children, Boys and Girls

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2.4%

1.5%

3.6%3.8%

1.4% 1.2% 1.1%

2.1%

1.0% 0.8%1.2%

0.8%

0.0%0.5%1.0%1.5%2.0%2.5%3.0%3.5%4.0%4.5%

1.6% 1.5%

3.0% 3.1%

1.0% 1.1%1.5%

1.8%

0.9%0.6%

1.0%0.6%

0.0%

0.5%

1.0%

1.5%

2.0%

2.5%

3.0%

3.5%

2.0%1.5%

3.3% 3.5%

1.2% 1.1% 1.3%

1.9%

1.0%0.7%

1.1%0.7%

0.0%0.5%1.0%1.5%2.0%2.5%3.0%3.5%4.0%

Female CWD as percentage of thePopulation of Girls

Male CWD as percentage of thePopulation of Boys

All CWD as percentage of thePopulation of All Children


Table 4 provides an overview of the number of children with disabilities by country and sex of the child as well as the percentage proportion of children with disabilities of respective child pop-ulations for each country. This data was extracted from the 2000/2001 census reports available for each island.

MALE TO FEMALE RATIO OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES BY COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE In 10 of the 12 countries surveyed, more boys than girls were identifi ed as having a disability in the 2000/2001 census. The exceptions were Montserrat and Antigua and Barbuda.

Children With

Disabilities Age Group Classifi ca-

tion

Relevant Census

Year

Number Of Male

Children With

Disabilities

Number Of Female Children

With Disabilities

Total Number

of Children With

Disabilities

Population of Male Children

Population of Female Children

Total Population of Children

Male Children

With Disabil-ities As

Percentage of Male Children

Female Children

With Disabilities

As Per-centage

of Female Children

All Chil-dren With

Disabilities As Per-

centage of Population of Children

Anguilla 0-19 2001 49 34 83 2,067 2,103 4,170 2.4% 1.6% 2.0%

Antigua 0-14 2001 138 139 277 8,986 9,047 18,033 1.5% 1.5% 1.5%

Barbados 0-19 2000 1,320 1,082 2,402 37,101 36,136 73,237 3.6% 3.0% 3.3%

British Virgin Islands 0-18 2001 130 109 239 3,411 3,506 6,917 3.8% 3.1% 3.5%

Dominica 0-14 2001 145 96 241 10,449 10,100 20,549 1.4% 1.0% 1.2%

Grenada 0-19 2001 265 235 500 22,339 22,246 44,585 1.2% 1.1% 1.1%

Montserrat 0-18 2001 7 9 16 640 597 1,237 1.1% 1.5% 1.3%

St. Kitts & Nevis 0-18 2001 177 152 329 8,491 8,478 16,969 2.1% 1.8% 1.9%

St. Lucia 0-14 2000 235 217 452 23,390 23,312 46,702 1.0% 0.9% 1.0%

St. Vincent and the Grenadines 0-19 2001 185 122 307 22,170 21,645 43,815 0.8% 0.6% 0.7%

Table 4: Children with Disabilities by Country of Residence, Sex of Child and as a Percentage of the Population of Children

59%

50%

55%

54%

60%

53%

44%

54%

52%

60%

55%

54%

41%

50%

45%

46%

40%

47%

56%

46%

48%

40%

45%

46%

Anguilla

Antigua

Barbados

BVI

Dominica

Grenada

Montserrat

St. Kitts & Nevis

St. Lucia

St. Vincent & the Grenadines

Trinidad and Tobago

Turks & Caicos

Percentage of CWD by Sex of CWD

Male

Female

PREVALENCE OF TYPES OF IMPAIRMENTS IN EASTERN CARIBBEAN COUNTRIESLearning, Sight and Speech impair-ments were recorded as the more prevalent disabilities across the region. On a country by country basis, the more prevalent disabilities reported in the census data were:-

� Speech and Learning impair-ments were found to be the more prevalent impairments in children in Anguilla

� Sight and Physical impairments - Antigua and Barbuda

� Intellectual, Speech and Hearing impairments - Barbados

� Learning , Sight and Behavioural impairments - the British Virgin Islands

� Speech, Learning and Mobility impairments - Dominica

� Sight, Speech and Learning impairments - Grenada

� Learning and Visual impair-ments - Montserrat

� Learning and Visual impair-ments - St. Kitts and Nevis

� Sight and Lower Limbs impair-ments - St. Lucia

� Learning and Physical-Motor impairments - St. Vincent and the Grenadines

� Seeing and Learning impair-ments - Trinidad and Tobago

� Deafness and Speech impair-ments - the Turks and Caicos

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ANGUILLAAge 0-14

ANTIGUA Age0-14

BARBADOS Age0-19

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

Age0-18

Other 38% Sight 33% Not Stated 50% Other 17%

Speech 20% Physical 26% Other 15%

Slowness at learning or understanding 13%

Slow to Learn 18% Speech 17% Intellectual 13% Sight 12%

Sight 16% Learning 16% Speech 5% Behavioural 12%

Not Stated 16% Behavioural 10% Hearing 5% Speech 11%

Lower Limb 12% Other 9% Sight 4% Upper Limb 10%

Behavioural 8% Hearing 9% Mental 3% Not Stated 10%

Hearing 4% Lower limb 3% Hearing 8%

Upper Limb 4% Neck / spine 1% Lower Limb 7%

Neck or Spine 4% Upper limb 1% Neck and Spine 7%

Total Number of children with disabilities 50


Total Number of children with disabilities 2,402


DOMINICAAge0-14

GRENADAAge0-19

MONTSERRATAge0-18

ST KITTS & NEVIS

Age0-18

Speech 45% Sight 28% Learning 31% Learning 23%

Learning 29% Speech 24% Visual 25% Other 20%

Mobility 24% Slow Learning 21% Moving 19% Visual 15%

Behavioural 23% Lower Limb 17% Others 19% Speech 14%

Hearing 20% Upper Limb 5% Hearing 6% Behavioural 13%

Sight 14% Neck & Spine 4% Lower Limb 9%

Body Movement 10% Not Stated 9%

Other 7% Hearing 9%

Gripping 5% Upper Limb 4%

Neck and Spine 3%





ST LUCIAAge0-14

ST. VINCENT & GRENADINES

Age0-19

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Age0-18

TURKS AND CAICOS

Age0-14

Other 28% Learning 79% Seeing 27% Other Disabilities 31%

Sight 20% Physical-Motor 11% Learning 23%Speech impediment 21%

Lower Limb 15% Hearing 6% Speaking 17% Deafness 21%

Speech 13% Visual 2% Mobility 14% Blindness 18%

Slow Learner 12% Mental 2% Not stated 13%Mental retarda-tion 10%

Behavioural 12% Visceral IRC 0% Hearing 12% Limb impairment 10%

Upper Limb 9% Multiple 0% Behaviour 9%

Hearing 8% Movement 6%

Neck Spine 6% Other 6%

Gripping 3%



Total Number of children with disabilities 5,250


Table 5: Children with Disabilities by Type of Impairment and Country of Residence (Percentage of total)

Table 5 below gives a breakdown of the percentage of children with disabilities reported with the relevant impairment.

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STAKEHOLDERS’ RECOMMENDATIONS

Respondents general ly agreed, irrespective of nationality, that a great deal more needs to be done to enable persons with disabilities to maximize their potential to actively participate in society. Some of the common themes that emerged from the feedback given by stakeholders, which they believe can support greater development and participation of children with disabilities in the society, included:-

1. Increased access to services such as:

� quality aids and devices at affordable costs

� education opportunities at every level - primary, second-ary and tertiary, for children with disabilities; inclusion of children with disabilities in mainstream schools; and cur-riculum development to cater to the needs of children with disabilities

� work and employment oppor-tunities for persons with disabilities in both the private and public sectors

� early detection, intervention and therapy programmes to support the development of children with disabilities and healthcare and rehabilitation facilities and services catering to the needs of persons with disabilities

� Social protection, fi nancial aid and other welfare services

� Recreation, sports and leisure programmes

� Transportation specifi cally for the disability community so that they can access available services

2. Establishment of accessibility standards for infrastructure and facilities to meet the needs of children with disabilities e.g. public buildings and facilities, sidewalks, audible signals, transport, etc.

3. Increased Government and leadership focus, commitment, prioritisation and action

4. Laws, legislation, conventions, policy development and adop-tion in a more timely manner to support and advance the integration and inclusion of all persons with disabilities

5. Advocacy and networking by parents and community activ-ists to gain support and raise the profi le of persons with disabili-ties in the community

6. Agency coordination and col-laboration for a more cohesive and effective approach to the advancement of people with disabilities

7. International and regional coop-eration in the form of capacity building, technical knowledge, research, information share and economic assistance

8. Continued training for teachers and all personnel who care for persons with disabilities

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In order to attain a more comprehensive understanding of the status of chil-dren with disabilities in the Caribbean region, more information is needed. Stakeholders further recommended: (i) the development of a research project focused on the disability community to accurately determine the size, com-position and changing dynamics of the population of children with disabilities; (ii) standardization of the terminology used, and the data and information that is collected across Caribbean coun-tries about persons with disabilities, (iii) development of a central informa-tion system that captures and tracks pertinent information about persons with disabilities and which is accessible to service providers for the disability community. This system should easily facilitate information share between stakeholders; and (iv) measurement, monitoring and evaluation systems or programmes targeting disability com-munities. In addition, across the region, there is a need for an on-going public education and awareness programmes which should also address issues such as abuse, stigma, discrimination, mar-ginalisation and exclusion of persons with disabilities in regional communities.

CALL TO ACTION

Like many countries across the globe, Eastern Caribbean Area states have made some progress towards securing the rights of all girls and boys with disabilities. However, pro-gress has varied between and within countries. Additionally too many children with disabilities continue to face barriers to their participation in the civic, social and cultural affairs of their communities.

The global State of the World’s Children Report contains a Call to Action which realises that the prom-ise of equity through inclusion will require action in numerous areas and by numerous actors. Most of these actions are relevant to countries in the Eastern Caribbean area, but we pres-ent some actions which are critical for children in the sub-region.

RATIFY AND IMPLEMENT THE CONVENTIONS THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES (CRPD)As of this year, with the exception of St. Kitts and Nevis, all countries in the Eastern Caribbean Area have signed the CRPD. However, it is yet to be ratified by Grenada, St Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago. Ratifi cation alone will not be enough. The pro-cess of honouring commitments in practice will require effort on the part of national governments, local authorities, employers, organizations

of people living with disability and parents’ associations.

FIGHT DISCRIMINATIONDiscrimination lies at the root of many of the challenges confronted by children with disabilities and their families. The principles of equal rights and non-discrimination should be reflected in law and policy and need to be complemented by efforts to enhance awareness of disability among the general public, starting with those who provide essential services for children in such fi elds as health, education and protection.

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When communities are accepting of disability as part of human diversity, when generic systems like education and recreation are available and inclu-sive, and when parents are not forced to carry the entire additional costs associated with disability, the families of children with disabilities can cope and thrive much like other families.

DISMANTLE BARRIERS TO INCLUSIONAll children’s environments – early childhood centres, schools, health facilities, public transport, play-grounds and so on – can be built to facilitate access and encourage the participation of children with disabil-ities alongside their peers.

Universal design – the idea that all products, built environments, pro-grammes and services should be usable to the greatest extent possi-ble by all people, regardless of their ability, age or social status – should be applied in the construction of all public and private infrastructure, as well as the development of inclusive school curricula, vocational training programmes, and child protection laws, policies and services.

MOVE BEYOND MINIMUM STANDARDSExisting supports and services should be continuously assessed with a view to achieving the best possible quality. The aim must be to

move beyond minimum standards. Attention needs to be focused on serving the individual child with a disability as well as on transform-ing entire systems or societies. The on-going involvement of children with disabilities and their families in evaluating services will help to guarantee adequate and appropri-ate provision as children grow and their needs change. The importance of this participation cannot be over-stated. Children and young people with disabilities are among the most authoritative sources of information on what they need and whether their needs are being met.

© UNICEF/NYHQ2011-1955 Roger LeMoyne


COORDINATE SERVICES TO SUPPORT THE CHILDBecause the effects of disability cut across sectors, services can be coordinated to take into account the full range of challenges confronting children with disabilities and their families. A coordinated programme of early intervention across the health, education and welfare sec-tors would help to promote the early identification and management of childhood disabilities.

Across all sectors, early childhood interventions should be strength-ened. Studies have shown that gains in functional capacity can be largest when interventions occur early in a child’s development. When bar-riers are removed earlier in life, the compounding effect of the multiple barriers faced by children with disa-bilities is lessened.

INVOLVE CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES IN MAKING DECISIONSChildren and adolescents with disa-bilities belong at the centre of efforts to build inclusive societies– not just as beneficiaries, but as agents of

change. States parties to the CRPD have affirmed the right of children with disabilities to express their views freely on all matters affecting them. In so doing, governments have reaf-fi rmed the principles of the CRC and have obligated themselves to consult children with disabilities when devel-oping and implementing legislation and policies that concern them. This is in States’ interest, for children and young people with disabilities can enrich policymaking and service pro-vision with their daily experiences and are uniquely qualifi ed to provide information on whether their needs are being met and their contributions utilized across the full spectrum of issues and interventions: from health and nutrition to sexual and reproduc-tive health, education and services for the transition to adulthood.

GLOBAL PROMISE, LOCAL CHALLENGEIn order to fulfi l the promises of the CRPD and CRC, international agen-cies and donors and their national and local partners can include children with disabilities in the objectives, tar-gets and monitoring indicators of all development programmes.

Reliable and objective data are impor-tant to assist in planning and resource allocation, and to place children with disabilities more clearly on the devel-opment agenda. This is especially true in the Eastern Caribbean area where there is an acknowledged paucity of readily available, reliable social data. The necessary statisti-cal work will take time but would be given vital impetus were interna-tional donors to promote a concerted global research agenda on disabil-ity. In the meanwhile, planning and programming will have to continue; denying or delaying services to chil-dren with disabilities because more data are needed would be unaccept-able. Rather, plans, programmes and budgets can be designed to allow for modifi cations as additional informa-tion is made available.

The ultimate proof of all global and national efforts will be local, the test being whether every child with a disability enjoys her or his rights – including access to services, sup-port and opportunities– on a par with other children, even in the most remote setting and the most deprived circumstances.

ANNEX

COUNTRY PROFILES

The information presented in the country profiles represents (i) the opinions and perspectives of stakeholders interviewed in the relevant Eastern Caribbean coun-tries to provide a brief synopsis of some of the priority needs of

children with disabilities, the legis-lative and policy advancements and suggestions of what can be done to increase the development and participation of children with disabil-ities; and (ii) data gathered from the relevant census sources to provide

an overview of the number of chil-dren with disabilities in each island and its relevant proportion to the population of children resident in the island, as well as the prevalence of the various types of impairments recorded during the census.


POPULATION: Estimates of Population of Children with DisabilitiesPERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN POPULATION WITH DISABILITIESIn the 2001 Census, two per cent of children 19 years and under were identifi ed with a disability. Overall, 0.7 per cent of Anguilla’s national population is children (0-19 years) with a disability. Most children with disabilities (59 per cent) are boys and 41 per cent girls.

0.9%

2.4%

0.6%

1.6%

0.7%

2.0%

All CWD

Females WD

Males WD

Anguilla 2001 Census CWD (0-19 years of age) as Percentage of Children

and National Populations

CWD as percentage of children population (0-19 years of age)

CWD as percentage of national population

0-14 years of age 15-24 years of age

Sight 16% 7%

Hearing 4% 7%

Speech 20% 10%

Upper Limb 4% 10%

Lower Limb 12% 15%

Neck or Spine 4% 2%

Slow to Learn 18% 7%

Behavioural 8% 12%

Other 38% 32%

Not Stated 16% 3%

Anguilla 2001 CensusPercentage of CWD and YWD with

Type of Disability

0-14 years of age

15-24 years of age

ANGUILLA

strengthening the early detection and diagnostic systems within Health; putting in place formal diagnosis mechanisms in education, toolkits and materials to assist with the devel-opment of gross and fi ne motor skills, technological devices to enhance learning e.g. computers, orthopedic equipment, specialist speech therapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy rehabilitation and therapeutic interventions; increas-ing government and leadership focus to drive the issue at a national and regional level; more health care and rehabilitation programmes; building resources, both human and fi nancial, to support the development and participation of children with disabilities; more timely development and adoption of legis-lation and policy; increasing public awareness and education to progressively change public attitudes and behaviours; con-tinued development of education and training programmes for children with disabilities targeting parents and teachers; improving facilities and infrastructure for greater accessibility for children with, providing more employment programmes/schemes; and providing transportation to move children with disabilities children between homes and centres.

PART II: Historical Shifts in Legislative and Policy EnvironmentInterviewed stakeholders identifi ed the following develop-ments and changes in the legislative and policy environment of the country:-

� Development of a unit within the Ministry of Social Development for people with disabilities

� In the 3rd quarter of 2012, a national forum was held to sensitize the public on the issue of disability. The forum was a launch pad for the initiation of a National Policy on Disability Working Group. This grouping was started in the 4th quarter of 2012. It is anticipated that this group will research and formulate a National Policy on Disability

PART III: Ways to Promote ParticipationStakeholders suggested that greater participation of children with disabilities in society will require increasing efforts and ability to screen and detect impairments; furthering the edu-cational opportunities for children with disabilities beyond primary school level; increasing financial aid and social services support for this group; greater government and leadership focus and commitment to drive the cause on the national agenda; increasing public awareness and education about the issue; leveraging regional and international partner-ships to share facilities, resources, and services; improving public facilities and infrastructure to increase accessibility (i.e. the creation of an environment with no physical barriers for children with disabilities etc. and developing programmes to enable greater involvement of children with disabilities in social and sporting activities.

PROFILE BY TYPE OF IMPAIRMENTSpeech (20 per cent of children with disabilities 0-14 years of age) and Slow to Learn (18 per cent) impairments were the most prevalent types of impairments reported for children 0-14 years of age. A Lower Limb impairment (15 per cent) of youth with disabilities) was the most prevalent impairment reported for youth, 15 to 24 years of age.

PART I: Priority Needs Interviewed stakeholders identified a number of priorities for Anguilla’s children with disabilities which focused on

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ANTIGUA & BARBUDAPOPULATION: Estimates of Population of Children with DisabilitiesPERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN POPULATION WITH DISABILITIESAntigua and Barbuda’s 2001 Census reported 1.5 per cent of children under 15 years of age with a disability and 3 per cent of youth (15-24 years of age) were reported with a disability. Children with disabilities under 15 years of age represent 0.4 per cent of the national population. Children with disabilities under 15 years of age were split evenly between girls (50 per cent) and boys (50 per cent).

PROFILE BY TYPE OF IMPAIRMENTSight (33 per cent of children with disabilities 0-14 years of age) and Physical impairments (26 per cent) were the most prevalent types of impairments found for children with disabilities under 15 years of age. Sight (54 per cent) and Physical impairments (16 per cent) were also the most prevalent types of impairments found for youth with disabilities, 15 to 24 years of age.

PART I: Priority Needs Interviewed stakeholders identified a number of priorities for Antigua and Barbuda’s children with disabilities which focused on the need for early screening and diagnostic interventions and

follow-up assessments in the pre-teen years, e.g. a diagnostic center with qualifi ed personnel to assess and recommend appro-priate programmes for children with disabilities, which should include specialists such as a speech and language therapist/pathol-ogist, education psychologist, occupational therapist, pediatric audiologist and physical therapist; more training programmes for specialist teachers and other qualifi ed personnel to cater to the growing needs of children with disabilities; a structured system so that parents know where to get reliable and ongoing help for their children and themselves; more health care and rehabilitation programmes; faster development and adoption of legislation and policy to advise/inform procedures and programmes for the dis-abled community; further development of facilities, infrastructure and resource centres e.g. computer centres and libraries to cater to the needs of children with disabilities; more social programmes and a transportation service catering to the needs of children with disabilities; more public awareness and education to promote that children with disabilities can lead full lives and can play an integral role in national development; and more robust involvement of cor-porate partners especially in providing employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

PART II: Historical Shifts in Legislative and Policy EnvironmentStakeholders provided the following as examples of some of the major developments and changes in the legislative and policy environment of the country. They identifi ed:-

� The Education Act of 2008 which was more specifi c about meeting the needs of children with Special Educational Needs

� A National Youth Policy (2010) � The Child Protection Act which provides for meeting the basic needs

and rights for children with disabilities � Establishment of a Special Needs Council in keeping with the

Education Act of 2008 � Special accommodations for children with special needs who are

doing Common Entrance Exams

PART III: Ways to Promote ParticipationStakeholders suggested that greater participation of children with disabilities in society will require increased effort in the areas of advocacy; more public education programmes to lessen discrimination and to foster inclusion of children with disabilities; the establishment of more supportive legislation and policies to guide practice; more education and training programmes, e.g. the development of a Special Education Curriculum leading to exit exams (CXC, CVQs, NVQs) and the revision of the education system to foster inclusive education; the provision of more employment opportunities; fi nancial aid/programme funding; improvements to the infrastructure and building facilities, e.g. schools, institutions and businesses with appropriate accommodations such as ramps etc.; better alignment of resources to advance the cause of children with disabilities, greater access to resources/equipment, facilities and technology; and more collaboration of NGOs and other stakeholders to petition Government for assistance

0.4%

2%

0.5%

1.5%

0.4%

3%

0.4%

1.5%

0.4%

3%

0.4%

1.5%

Antigua 2001 CensusCWD as Percentage of Children, Youth and

National Populations

All CWD

Female CWD

Male CWDYouth (15 -24) with disabilities asa percentage of youth population

Children under 15 with disabilitiesas a percentage of national

population

Children under 15 with disabilitiesas a percentage of children

population

Youth (15 -24) with disabilities asa percentage of national

population

Sight 33% 54%

Hearing 9% 7%

Speech 17% 11%

Physical 26% 16%

Learning 16% 6%

Behaviioural 10% 4%

Other 9% 10%

Antigua 2001 CensusPercentage of CWD and YWD with

Type of Disability

0-14 years of age

15-24 years of age

0-14 years of age 15-24 years of age

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BARBADOS POPULATION: Estimates of Population of Children with DisabilitiesPERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN POPULATION WITH DISABILITIESIn the 2000 Census, 3.3 per cent of the population of children 19 years and under was identifi ed with a disability. Children with disabilities represent one per cent of the total population of persons living in Barbados. Fifty-fi ve percent of children with disabilities in Barbados are boys and 45 per cent are girls.

PROFILE BY TYPE OF IMPAIRMENTAn Intellectual impairment (13 per cent of children with disabil-ities) was the most prevalent impairment recorded for children with disabilities in Barbados.

PART I: Priority Needs Interviewed stakeholders identifi ed a number of priorities for Barbados’ children with disabilities which focused on the full inclusion of children with disabilities in any activity with equal rights, privileges and respect; testing for early detec-tion and intervention as the waiting time/list, for example,

to access speech and language intervention is approxi-mately 2-3 years; sustaining education and training efforts for teachers and assistants, e.g. there is a need for teacher aides. Many children do not have independent self-help skills and laws do not allow students who are not toilet-trained to attend school - some children with disabilities will never be toilet- trained; upgrading/providing “children with disabili-ties friendly” facilities and infrastructure; lack of political will to commit the necessary funding to support the progress and development of programmes and policies necessary to advance the cause; lack of transportation to access edu-cation, support and other professional services; lack of access to schools in the communities where children with disabilities reside that take the challenges of children with disabilities into account; lack of agency coordination and collaboration as there are too many organizations asking for the same support and this is part of the problem of getting support; lack of a national policy on special education; lack of opportunities in the workforce; a shortage of technological materials for teaching; lack of facilities such as play areas for children with disabilities etc. and opportunities to take part in competitions.

PART II: Historical Shifts in Legislative and Policy EnvironmentStakeholders suggested that development and changes to the legislative and policy environment were in the areas of:

� Changes in the Education Act to include all children � The writing of ‘individualized education plans’, (IEPS) and a special

curricula

PART III: Ways to Promote ParticipationStakeholders suggested that greater participation of chil-dren with disabilities in society will require increased effort in the areas of early detection, prevention and therapy; more education and training programmes, e.g. inclusion of a special education component as part of the two year in-ser-vice teacher training programme that is compulsory for all teachers; an increase in teachers trained in ‘special needs’ in order to have a workable/manageable teacher-pupil ratio; increased financial aid; more dialogue between the gov-ernment, private sector and people with disabilities; more public education and awareness; continued United Nations support in developing national policy directives; legislation and policy development e.g. a national philosophical policy statement on special education; spreading/decentralizing support services for special needs across the island; devel-oping a facility for children with disabilities for day care, extracurricular activities and to showcase and sell work done by children with disabilities; exchange programmes with regular schools; respite facilities to assist parents of the children with disabilities; and employment opportunities in private and public sectors.

1.1%

3.6%

0.8%

3.0%

1.0%

3.3%

Barbados 2000 CensusCWD (0-19 years of age) as Percentage of Children

and National Population

All CWD

Female CWD

Male CWD

CWD (0-19 years of age) as apercentage of children population

CWD (0-19 years of age) as apercentage of national population

Male CWD

Female CWD

All CWD

Male CWD Female CWD All CWD

Sight 3% 5% 4%

Hearing 4% 5% 5%

speech 6% 5% 5%

Upper limb 1% 2% 1%

Lower limb 4% 2% 3%

Neck / spine 1% 2% 1%

Intellectual 15% 9% 13%

Mental 4% 3% 3%

Other 15% 15% 15%

Not Stated 47% 52% 50%

Barbados 2000 CensusPercentage of CWD (0-19 years of age) with

Type of Disability

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BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS (BVI)POPULATION: Estimates of Population of Children with DisabilitiesPERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN POPULATION WITH DISABILITIESIn the 2001 Census, 3.5 per cent of the population of children 18 years and under was identifi ed with a disability. Children with disabilities represent one per cent of the total population of per-sons living in the British Virgin Islands. Boys represent 54 per cent of children with disabilities in the British Virgin Islands and girls 46 per cent.

1.1%

3.8%

0.9%

3.1%

1.0%

3.5%

All CWD

Female CWD

Male CWD

CWD as a percentage of childrenpopulation (0-18 years of age)

CWD as percentage ofnational population

BVI 2001 CensusCWD (0-18 years of age) as Percentage

of Children Population

Male CWD

Female CWD

ALL CWD

Male CWD Female CWD ALL CWDSight 9% 15% 12%Hearing 11% 6% 8%Speech 13% 9% 11%Upper Limb 11% 9% 10%Lower Limb 8% 6% 7%Neck and Spine 7% 7% 7%Slowness at learning or understanding 16% 10% 13%Behaviourial 13% 10% 12%Other 15% 18% 17%Not Stated 9% 10% 10%

BVI 2001 CensusPercentage of CWD (0-18 years of age)

with Type of Disability

PROFILE BY TYPE OF IMPAIRMENTLearning or Understanding (13 per cent of children with disabil-ities), Behavioral and Sight impairments (12 per cent of children with disabilities) were recorded as the more prevalent impairments found in children with disabilities in the British Virgin Islands.

PART I: Priority Needs Interviewed stakeholders identifi ed a number of priorities for the British Virgin Islands’ children with disabilities which focused on the prevailing negative public attitudes towards children with dis-abilities and a need for public education and awareness to change these attitudes and reduce the stigma and discrimination targeted at children with disabilities; providing basic education for children with disabilities of school age at both primary and secondary school

levels as well as sustainable training programmes for special edu-cation teachers, para-professionals, etc. to support the education process for children with disabilities; the need for equal opportu-nity access to health care and rehabilitation services; the need for legislation and policy with the development of a clear structure within which the provision of special services will operate; the need to minimize or remove physical barriers to increase acces-sibility for children with disabilities; the need for early detection, prevention and therapy with consistent availability of services from specialists in the areas of speech therapy, occupational ther-apy and physiotherapy; the need for agency collaboration, e.g. between the two ministries of Health and Social Development; and more timely legislation and policy with Government making chil-dren with disabilities a priority on the national agenda.

PART II: Historical Shifts in Legislative and Policy EnvironmentStakeholders suggested that development and changes to the legislative and policy environment were in the areas of:

� Education Act 2004 promotes the rights of all children, including chil-dren with disabilities to an appropriate education. Two statements were included in the Education Act of 2004

� The Physical Planning Act was implemented to ensure that build-ings (building codes) provide adequate access for persons with disabilities

� The Disability Policy is in draft but not yet fi nalized. These draft regu-lations include provision for children with special needs

� Funding for children with disabilities became a line item in the Education Budget in 2012

PART III: Ways to Promote ParticipationStakeholders suggested that greater participation of children with disabilities in society will require increased effort in the areas of advocacy at the parent and community level; greater collaboration between ministries; sustained education and training programmes e.g. continued training of support per-sons with the various skills to meet the needs of children with disabilities and encouraging youth to take up careers in special education as children with disabilities is a growing population, as well as providing more opportunities for the mixing of chil-dren with and without disabilities into one class to prevent segregation of children with disabilities; fi nancial aid/assistance for established programmes; government taking the lead and investing in children with disabilities; more public education and awareness; continued technical support from other countries that are more advanced in providing for and increasing partic-ipation of children with disabilities; development and adoption of policy and legislation to promote wider inclusion of children with disabilities in schools and the workforce; upgrading build-ings and infrastructure that take persons with disabilities into consideration; provision of social services, the development of independent living group homes and provision of work and employment opportunities in the public and private sectors.

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POPULATION: Estimates of Population of Children with DisabilitiesPERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN POPULATION WITH DISABILITIESSourced data was grouped for (i) for children under 15 years of age and (ii) youth between 15 and 24. Dominica’s 2001 Census reported 1.2 per cent of children under 15 years of age with a disability and 1.9 per cent of youth (15-24 years of age) were reported with a disability. Children with disabilities (0-14 years of age) represent 0.3 per cent of the national population. The majority of children with disabilities (60 per cent) are boys and 40 per cent are girls.

PART I: Priority Needs Interviewed stakeholders identified a number of priorities for Dominica’s children with disabilities which focused on the areas of psychological assistance or counseling of chil-dren with disabilities in the school system; early detection and intervention programmes to ensure smooth transition of children with disabilities to preschools and other education programmes; access to education at all levels for children with disabilities by mainstreaming children with disabilities into the school system; ongoing access to training for personnel who work in schools; counseling and training for parents; provision of health care and rehabilitation; upgrading of physical amen-ities, e.g. access to public buildings, sidewalks, ramps, hand rails etc. especially in the city; resourcing a testing centre; employment opportunities and skills training; reduction/elimi-nation of abuse, ridicule, exclusion, stigma and discrimination of children with disabilities by society; increasing fi nancial support from all stakeholders, e.g. Government, corporate organizations , NGOs etc.; and timely development and adop-tion of supportive legislation.

PART II: Historical Shifts in Legislative and Policy EnvironmentShareholders provided the following as examples of some of the major developments and changes in the legislative and policy environment of the country. They identifi ed:-

� The UN Resolution for the Equalization of Persons with Disabilities � Ratifi cation of the Convention of the Rights of Persons with

Disabilities

PART III: Ways to Promote ParticipationStakeholders suggested that greater participation of children with disabilities in society will require increased effort in the areas interagency coordination and collaboration, e.g. the formation an association of organizations with common pur-pose for the disabled community; early detection, prevention and therapy programmes; more training programmes at the Dominica’s Teachers’ College should be encouraged; more fi nancial support of initiatives and programmes available to support the participation of children with disabilities in society; government prioritization of the issue; more public educa-tion and awareness programmes; institutional and capability strengthening; stronger regional networking to assist islands to lobby internationally; more timely development and adop-tion of legislation; more effective monitoring of programmes; and access to a resource and skills training centre.

DOMINICA

YWD

Females WD

Males WD

Dominica 2001 CensusYWD as Percentage of Youth and

National Population

CWD (0-14 years of age) as a percentage of chidren

under 15 population

YWD (15-24 years of age)as a percentage of youth population

CWD (0-14 years of age)as a percentage of

national population

YWD (15-24 years of age)as a percentage of

national population 0.4%

0.4%

2.4%

1.4%

0.2%

0.3%

1.4%

1.0%

0.3%

0.3%

1.9%

1.2%

Sight 12% 18% 14%Hearing 19% 21% 20%Speech 51% 35% 45%Mobility 21% 30% 24%Body Movement 9% 11% 10%Gripping 4% 7% 5%Learning 29% 28% 29%Behavioural 25% 21% 23%Other 8% 6% 7%

DominicaPercentage of CWD (0-14 years) by

Type of Disability

Youth CWD (0-14 years)

Male CWD (0-14 years)

Female CWD (0-14 years)

Male CWD (0-14 years) Female CWD (0-14 years) Youth CWD (0-14 years)

PROFILE BY TYPE OF IMPAIRMENTMost children with disabilities (45 per cent) were reported with a Speech , a Learning (29 per cent) and a Behavioural impair-ment (23 per cent).

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POPULATION: Estimates of Population of Children with DisabilitiesPERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN POPULATION WITH DISABILITIES In the 2001 Census, 1.1 per cent of the population of children, 19 years and under was identifi ed with a disability. Children with disabilities represent 0.5 per cent of the total population of Grenada. Fifty-three percent of children with disabilities are boys and 47 per cent are girls.

GRENADA

Grenada 2001 CensusCWD (0-19 years of age) as percentage of Children


CWD (0-19 years of age) as percentage of

children population

CWD (0-19 years of age) as percentage of

national population0.5%

1.2%

0.5%

1.1%

0.5%

1.1%

All CWD

Female CWD

Male CWD

All CWD (0-19 years of age)

Males CWD (0-19 years of age)

Females CWD (0-19 years of age)

Males CWD (0-19 years of age)

Females CWD (0-19 years of age)


Sight 20% 38% 28%

Speech 28% 20% 24%

Upp Limb 6% 3% 5%

Lower Limb 17% 17% 17%

Neck & Spine 5% 4% 4%

Slow Learning 24% 18% 21%

Grenada 2001 CensusPercentage of CWD (0-19 years of age)

by Type of Disability

PROFILE BY TYPE OF IMPAIRMENTSight (28 per cent of children with disabilities), Speech (24 per cent of children with disabilities) and Learning (21 per cent of children with disabilities) impairments were the more prevalent impairments recorded for children with disabilities in Grenada.

PART I: Priority Needs Interviewed stakeholders identified a number of priorities for Grenada’s children with disabilities which focused on the areas of the need for early detection, prevention, therapy and personnel resources, in addition, these services are not cen-tralised or adequately staffed which impacts the scheduling of visits for children with disabilities; a need for consistent access

to training for teachers. Most teachers working with special needs children are volunteers and are not trained. Training and survival skills are needed both on the part individuals with disabilities and parents/ families of persons with disabilities as well as for support staff; a need for facilities and infrastructure for educational, recreation, sports and other social activities; housing of parents of children with disabilities; work and employment opportunities e.g. job placement programmes for children with disabilities leaving school; a need for NGOs, Government and other stakeholder collaboration and coor-dination; fi nancial aid/programme funding; changing public attitudes towards children with disabilities to dispel the myths and misconceptions of children with disabilities by society; faster development and adoption of national legislation and policy on the issue; a lack of structured parental education and support as there is a high level of abandonment of children with disabilities by parents; lack of basic resources like equip-ment and personnel, e.g. there are only two offi cers at the Ministry to cover the entire island; and a need for transporta-tion to assist with the movement of children with disabilities.

PART II: Historical Shifts in Legislative and Policy EnvironmentDevelopments and changes in the legislative and policy environment of the country were identifi ed in the areas of :-

� Ratifi cation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Children with Disabilities

� Development of the 2006 Strategic Plan for Educational Enhancement and Development (SPEED) to deliver adequate provisions for all special education individuals (schools, special education, preschool, primary and secondary, day-care, nurseries), thus the theme “Inclusion for All”

� The Child Protection Act (2010) speaks to equality of access for children with disabilities

PART III: Ways to Promote ParticipationGreater participation of children with disabilities in society will require increased commitment and participation from Government and leadership in the society; strengthening of the support services for early detection, prevention and therapy; sustained education and training for all (parents, practitioners, educators and individuals with disabilities); funding/budgeting at the national level for the resourcing of programmes for children with disabilities; improved health care and rehabilitation programmes; more public education and awareness programmes, e.g. a Government awareness week to build awareness and educate members of the com-munity about the issues facing persons and children with disabilities; more timely development and adoption of leg-islation and policy; continued development of/upgrading of facilities and support infrastructure such as ramps, roads, pavements, crossings with audible beeps etc; and provision of work and employment in the public and private sectors.

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POPULATION: Estimates of Population of Children with DisabilitiesPERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN POPULATION WITH DISABILITIESMontserrat’s children with disabilities (0-18 years of age) rep-resent 1.3 per cent of children, 18 years and under and 0.3 per cent of the national population. Most children with disabilities in Montserrat (56 per cent) are girls and 44 per cent are boys.

speech therapists, and occupational therapists; access to appropriate education that meets the needs of children with disabilities; a need to reduce the exploitation, violence and abuse of children with disabilities. Many children with disabilities are hidden and some children have been in cir-cumstances where they have missed out on school or have been with relatives who have abused them or been in vio-lent circumstances which results in further behavioural and learning diffi culties; a need for children with disabilities to have ready access to health care and rehabilitation services; a need to develop parenting skills as there are more and more children with disabilities with oppositional defi ance/conduct disorders. There needs to be, as a priority, a facility to support children who are disengaged with the educa-tional system as well as their parents; the need for equal opportunities in every aspect of the lives of children with disabilities; a need to upgrade facilities and infrastructure which are not designed for or do not cater for children with disabilities; access to funding for resources such as a sheltered workshop facility or classroom for children with disabilities; government focus and leadership on the issue; international and regional networking to share resources and experiences; and the need to more speedily develop and adopt legislation and policy.

PART II: Historical Shifts in Legislative and Policy EnvironmentStakeholders suggested that development and changes to the legislative and policy environment were in the areas of :-

� The 2009 Early Childhood Policy recently included all children. There is no section specifi cally for Special Needs Children

� Development of a unit within the Ministry of Social Development for Disabled and Challenged persons

� There is a Primary School Policy for Special Education Needs (SEN) and a draft Secondary School Policy. The Education Act 2004 refers to this and speaks to inclusion – mirrored in the UK Code of Practice, so do the Draft Policies. The Primary School policy has been adopted

� The Montserrat Association of Persons with Disability (MAPD) was established

PART III: Ways to Promote ParticipationStakeholders suggested that greater participation of children with disabilities in society will require adequate resourcing in the area of early detection, prevention and therapy; building the capabilities of people who care for children with disabilities, e.g. teachers, nurses etc.; greater political will “a can do attitude”; more public education and awareness for behavioural change; developing information sources about children with disabil-ities, e.g. a Government website to create a link for support, resources and tips for parents etc; speedier development and adoption of legislation and policy; development of parenting support groups/networks; and improvements to social, recrea-tion, sports and leisure services.

Montserrat 2001 CensusCWD as Percentage of Children and

National Population

CWD (0-18 years) as percentage of

children population

CWD (0-18 years) as percentage of

national population

0.3%

1.1%

0.4%

1.5%

0.3%

1.3%

All CWD

Female CWD

Male CWD

Montserrat 2001 CensusPercentage of CWD by

Type of Disability

Male CWD

Female CWD

All CWD

Male CWD Female CWD All CWDVisual 14% 33% 25%Hearing 0% 11% 6%Moving 14% 22% 19%Strange Behaviour 0% 0% 0%Fits 0% 0% 0%Learning 43% 22% 31%Hansens Disease 0% 0% 0%Others 29% 11% 19%

MONTSERRAT

PROFILE BY TYPE OF IMPAIRMENTLearning (31 per cent) and Visual (25 per cent) impairments were recorded as the more prevalent impairments for children with disabilities in Montserrat.

PART I: Priority Needs Interviewed stakeholders identifi ed a number of priorities for Montserrat’s children with disabilities which focused on improving the attitudes of different groups in society towards children with disabilities, e.g. some teachers still expect that children with disabilities will behave the same way as children without disabilities; the need for early detection, prevention and therapy resources such as physiotherapists,

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POPULATION: Estimates of Population of Children with DisabilitiesPERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN POPULATION WITH DISABILITIESThe St. Kitts and Nevis 2001 Census reported 1.9 per cent of children 18 years of age and under with a disability. Children with disabilities represent 0.7 per cent of the national popula-tion. Most children with disabilities in St. Kitts and Nevis (54 per cent) are boys and 46 per cent are of children with disabil-ities are girls.

speech therapy, and testing for hearing aids so that they can be fi tted as early as possible; providing more education and training opportunities, for example, the Special Education Unit accommodates the blind but there is no trained teacher for the blind, so children are not really getting the full edu-cational benefit; financial aid and programme funding; government and leadership attitude and low priority to chil-dren with disabilities, inadequate facilities and infrastructure in terms of sidewalks, ramps, building access; lack of trans-portation and social services; the need for public education and awareness; the need for recreation, sports and leisure programmes; improving resource availability e.g. children with disabilities in the special education school were not provided with laptops like other students in high schools, students at the special education school do not benefi t from the lunch programme that is given to a number of primary schools; and the need for work and employment opportuni-ties. Many businesses are not interested in redesigning their equipment/ machines to help the disabled.

PART II: Historical Shifts in Legislative and Policy EnvironmentStakeholders suggested that development and changes to the legislative and policy environment were in the areas of:-

� The Education Act 2005 made provisions for the identifi cation and servicing of the needs of children with special needs

� In the last three (3) years, work has been progressing with gov-ernment to sign the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities

� The Ministry of Education developed a White Paper with a section for Persons with Special Needs to provide for special education and training

� An MOU was signed to increase services offered to children with disabilities

PART III: Ways to Promote ParticipationStakeholders suggested that greater participation of children with disabilities in society will require increased effort in the areas of advocacy in the form of a support group including the private and public sector working on behalf of persons with disabilities to push the agenda of persons with disabilities; more early detection, prevention and therapy programmes; ongoing education and training, e.g. many teachers in main-stream school are not properly trained to assess and deal with the issues of children with disabilities; provision of fi nan-cial aid/funding of programmes; investment by Government and leadership in children with disabilities; health care and rehabilitation capacity building; more public education and awareness; faster development and adoption of national policy as it relates to the disabled community; better parental support; more recreation, sports and leisure programmes for children with disabilities; and creation of work and employ-ment opportunities in the public and private sectors.

St Kitts & Nevis 2001 CensusCWD (0-18 years of age) as Percentage of Children

and National Populations

CWD (0-18 years) as a percentage of children

population

CWD (0-18 years) as a percentage of national

population

0.8%

2.1%

0.7%

1.8%

0.7%

1.9%

All CWD

Female CWD

Male CWD

St. Kitts & Nevis 2001 CensusPercentage of CWD (0-18 years of age)


Female CWD (0-18 years of age)

Male CWD (0-18 years of age)


Visual 15% 14% 15%Hearing 9% 8% 9%Speech 16% 13% 14%Upper Limb 5% 4% 4%Lower Limb 11% 7% 9%Neck and Spine 3% 4% 3%Learning 30% 14% 23%Behavioural 14% 13% 13%Other 15% 26% 20%Not Stated 5% 14% 9%

Male CWD (0-18 ) Female CWD (0-18 ) All CWD (0-18 )

ST. KITTS AND NEVIS

PROFILE BY TYPE OF IMPAIRMENTLearning (23%) and Visual impairments (15%) were recorded as the more prevalent impairments found in children with dis-abilities in 2001.

PART I: Priority Needs Interviewed stakeholders identifi ed a number of priorities for St. Kitts and Nevis’ children with disabilities which focused on improving societal attitudes and removing stigma and discrimination towards children with disabilities; improving early detection, prevention systems and therapies such as

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POPULATION: Estimates of Population of Children with DisabilitiesPERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN POPULATION WITH DISABILITIESSt. Lucia’s 2000 Census reported one per cent of children, 0-14

years of age with a disability and 0.9 per cent of youth, 15-24 years

of age with a disability. Children with disabilities (0-14 years of age)

represent 0.2 per cent of the national population. Fifty-two per cent

of children with disabilities were boys and 48 per cent girls.

PROFILE BY TYPE OF IMPAIRMENTIn the 2000 Census, Sight (20 per cent) and Lower Limb (15 per

cent) impairments were the most prevalent impairments found in

children with disabilities (0-14 years of age). The 2012 preliminary

St. Lucia 2000 CensusYWD as Percentage of Children and

National Population

CWD (0-14 years of age) as a percentage of chidren

under 15 population

YWD (15-24 years of age) as a percentage of

youth population

YWD (15-24 years of age) as a percentage of

national population

CWD (0-14 years of age) as a percentage of

national population

0.3%

0.2%

0.9%

1.0%

0.3%

0.2%

0.9%

0.9%

0.3%

0.2%

0.9%

1.0%

YWD

Females WD

Males WD

St. Lucia 2000 CensusPercentage of CWD (0-14 years of age) with

Type of Disability

Males Females TotalSight 17% 24% 20%Hearing 8% 9% 8%Speech 12% 14% 13%Upper Limb 6% 13% 9%Lower Limb 11% 18% 15%Neck Spine 3% 8% 6%Slow Learner 9% 16% 12%Behavioural 11% 14% 12%Other 30% 27% 28%

Total

Females

Males

Census results also indicate Sight (31 per cent) as the more prev-

alent impairment in children with disabilities (0-18 years of age).

PART I: Priority Needs Interviewed stakeholders identifi ed a number of priorities for St.

Lucia’s children with disabilities which focused on improving atti-

tudes and acceptance by the general public and family members

of children with disabilities and reducing/eliminating stigma and

discrimination targeted at children with disabilities; improving the

coordination of fi nancial, social and educational efforts to improve

the lives of children with disabilities; increasing access to tools

and resources for early detection, prevention and therapy; pro-

viding ongoing training of teachers, parents and other support

personnel who care for children with disabilities; improving basic

health care and rehabilitation services and programmes; improv-

ing facilities and infrastructure to increase accessibility; providing

transportation to move children with disabilities around; increas-

ing resources, human, fi nancial and physical, e.g. touch screen

laptops, headsets, communication boards; creating greater

regional collaboration opportunities; focusing government to

make children with disabilities a priority; more timely develop-

ment and adoption of legislation and policy; and improving parent

counseling, fi nancial and social service support.


� Adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of Children � Implementation of Disabilities Act/Policy � Inclusion of children with disabilities in regular classes and the

Education Act provides for the allotment of technical assistance for children with disabilities

PART III: Ways to Promote ParticipationStakeholders suggested that greater participation of children with

disabilities in society will require increased effort in the areas

of collaboration between the social partners, including govern-

ment; ongoing education and training programmes for students,

teachers and other support persons interacting with children with

disabilities, recognizing the ratio of students to teachers; more

fi nancial aid; Government recognition that children with

disabilities have a role in society, thus prioritizing persons

with disabilities on national and regional agendas; more

health care and rehabilitation programmes; sustained

public education and awareness programmes e.g. the

development of a National convention on people with

disabilities; improving facilities and infrastructure; provi-

sion of transportation; creation of recreation, sports and

leisure programmes; continued research and monitor-

ing e.g. conduct of a census of the disability population

and the appointment of offi cers to monitor programmes;

implementation of social service initiatives catering to the

needs of the disabled e.g. housing for independent living;

and the creation of work and employment opportunities.

ST. LUCIA

2010 Preliminary Census Data

Seeing (even with

glasses)

Hearing( even with

hearing aid)

Walk-ing or

climbing stairs

Remem-bering

or concen-trating

Self-Care

Upper Body Func-tion

Communi-cating and Speaking Total

Males (0-18 years) 320 117 139 194 188 80 221 1259

Females (0-18 years) 493 84 154 146 173 82 195 1328

All children with disabili-ties (0-18 years)

814 201 293 340 362 162 416 2587

Male children with disabilities (% of Male children with disabilities)

25% 9% 11% 15% 15% 6% 18% 100%

Female children with disabilities (% of Female children with disabilities)

37% 6% 12% 11% 13% 6% 15% 100%

All children with disabil-ities 2010 (% of children with disabilities)

31% 8% 11% 13% 14% 6% 16% 100%

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POPULATION: Estimates of Population of Children with DisabilitiesPERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN POPULATION WITH DISABILITIESSt. Vincent and the Grenadines’ 2001 Census reported 0.7 per cent of children 0-19 years of age with a disability, represent-ing 0.3 per cent of the national population. Most of the children with disabilities in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (60 per cent) were identifi ed as boys and 40 per cent were female.

and are living in poverty; providing adequate health care and rehabilitation services; providing transportation to spe-cial needs schools; increasing agency coordination for better networking and a more unifi ed approach to the issue; provid-ing ongoing training for teachers and care givers as well as ensuring that access to education is available for all children with disabilities including the severely challenged kids who currently are not allowed access to primary school. There is also very limited spaces in secondary school for children with disabilities; reducing/eliminating the exploitation, violence and abuse of children with disabilities; more support and direction from government and leadership; more public education and awareness programmes; increasing facilities and infrastruc-ture to improve accessibility, e.g. sidewalks, ramps; provision of work and employment opportunities as even the young dis-abled who get educated, leave school and have no choice but to sit at home because there are no jobs.

PART II: Historical Shifts in Legislative and Policy EnvironmentStakeholders suggested that development and changes to the legislative and policy environment were mainly in the areas of:-

� UN Convention Rights of Disabled Children now being ratifi ed � Work on the Special Education Act is in progress, which addresses

children with special needs � The 2012 Education Development Plan was developed up to

2017. Stakeholders in the disability sector participated and made recommendations

� Development of a unit within the Ministry of Mobilization � Government mandated that all new buildings should be accessible

to the disabled

PART III: Ways to Promote ParticipationStakeholders suggested that greater participation of chil-dren with disabilities in society will require increased effort in the areas of agency coordination and advocacy; increas-ing access to resources such as speech therapists, physical/occupational therapists for earlier detection, prevention and therapy; more integration of able and disabled children in the educational system as physically challenged kids are often not allowed to go to regular school even though they are intellectually capable; the availability of scholarships for teachers to access training in other Caribbean countries, e.g. Jamaica; fi nancial aid/funding of programmes; greater government and leadership focus on the issue; more public education and awareness programmes, e.g. a street march so that persons can walk with children with disabilities; greater integration of children with disabilities in activities, e.g. children with disabilities from the special schools should be invited to the school sports even if they cannot compete; faster development and adoption of legislation and policy e.g. adoption of the UNICEF Protocol; and greater advocacy and involvement by parents who need to be empowered to speak for their children.

St. Vincent & the Grenadines 2001 CensusCWD (0-19 years of age) as Percentage

of Children and National Population

CWD (0-19 years of age) as a percentage of

children population

CWD (0-19 years of age)as a percentage of

national population

0.3%

0.8%

0.2%

0.6%

0.3%

0.7%

All CWD

Female CWD

Male CWD

St. Vincent & the Grenadines 2001 CensusPercentage of CWD by Type of Disability

15-19

5-14

0-4

All CWD

All CWD15-195-140-4Physical-Motor 22% 8% 13% 11%

Visual 4% 2% 2% 2%

Hearing 4% 5% 7% 6%

Mental 0% 1% 4% 2%

Visceral IRC 0% 0% 0% 0%

Multiple 0% 0% 0% 0%

Learning 70% 84% 74% 79%

ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES

PROFILE BY TYPE OF IMPAIRMENTLearning (79 per cent) and Physical- Motor (11 per cent) impair-ments were the most prevalent impairments found in children with disabilities in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

PART I: Priority Needs Interviewed stakeholders identifi ed a number of needs for St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ children with disabilities which focused on generally improving attitudes towards children with disabilities as some parents still keep children at home; improv-ing access to resources such as speech and physical therapists for early detection, prevention and therapy particularly in rural communities; increasing the availability of fi nancial assistance as many children with disabilities have unemployed parents

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POPULATION: Estimates of Population of Children with DisabilitiesPERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN POPULATION WITH DISABILITIESTrinidad’s 2000 Census reported 1.1 percent of children 0-18 years

of age with a disability. Children with disabilities represent 0.4 per

cent of the national population. Most children with disabilities (55

per cent) in Trinidad and Tobago are boys and 45 per cent are girls.

education; increase of educational opportunities e.g. vocational

training programmes, special education programmes, retraining

and skills programmes; increase funding for programmes that

actively promote the interests of children with disabilities; more

government focus and action; ongoing public awareness and edu-

cation; more timely development and enforcement of legislation

to protect and develop children with disabilities. While a national

policy on persons with disabilities exists in the country, there is no

legislation in place, no legal framework to mandate inclusive edu-

cation; need for transportation for the disabled to access services

available especially in rural areas; and increasing work/employ-

ment opportunities in the public and private sectors.

PART II: Historical Shifts in Legislative and Policy EnvironmentStakeholders provided the following as examples of some of the major developments and changes in the legislative and policy environment of the country. They identifi ed:-

� Trinidad and Tobago is a signatory to the UN Convention on Persons with Disabilities

� The establishment of a National Policy on Persons with Disabilities in December, 2005

� Legislation on the Protection of Children and the establishment of a Children’s Authority. This relates to all children in Trinidad and Tobago and therefore children with disabilities are included

� The establishment of a Student Support Services Division in the Ministry of Education(MOE) which provides the relevant intervention and support for children with special needs both in the mainstream and special schools. This emerged based on a Special Education Policy in the MOE

� Disabilities organizations are collaborating with the Hugh Wooding Law School and the Attorney General’s Offi ce with respect to the revision/pro-vision of legislation that enhances the life of persons with disabilities

� Revision of the building codes for a barrier free environment

PART III: Ways to Promote ParticipationStakeholders suggested that greater participation of children with

disabilities in society will require increased effort in the areas of

advocacy, e.g. a strong parents advocacy group to lobby for chil-

dren’s rights in the educational and social life of the country; better

agency support and collaboration of all stakeholders; education

programmes for parents/guardians and family members e.g. sign

language courses for parents of deaf children; continued training

of teachers, social workers, counselors, medical personnel etc.;

more employment and job opportunities; more fi nancial aid and

timely disbursement of funding; greater government focus and

commitment; improved health care and rehabilitation; creation of a

database of information on children with disabilities; establishing a

registry at hospitals and clinics of children at risk or born with dis-

abilities; targeted public education and sensitization programmes;

improvements to facilities and infrastructure to increase accessibil-

ity; faster adoption of legislation that drive government policies and

mandates with regard to the provision of services to persons with

disabilities; accessible transportation services particularly to chil-

dren in rural communities; and the provision of resource materials

and affordable disability aids and assistive devices.

Trinidad & Tobago 2000 CensusCWD (0-18 years of age) as Percentage of Children


CWD (0-18 years of age) as a percentage of children

population

CWD (0-18 years of age) as a percentage of national

population

0.5%

1.2%

0.4%

1.0%

0.4%

1.1%

All CWD

Female CWD

Male CWD

Trinidad 2000 CensusPercentage of CWD (0-18 years of age)


All CWD

All CWDSeeing 27%Hearing 12%Speaking 17%Mobility 14%Movement 6%Gripping 3%Learning 23%Behaviour 9%Other 6%Not stated 13%

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

PROFILE BY TYPE OF IMPAIRMENTSeeing (27 per cent) and Learning (23 per cent) impairments were the most prevalent types of impairments found in children with disabilities in Trinidad and Tobago.

PART I: Priority Needs Interviewed stakeholders identified a number of priorities for

Trinidad and Tobago’s children with disabilities which focused on

the areas of early detection and prevention, healthcare services

particularly for Autism Spectrum Disorders, speech and language

interventions, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, rehabilitative

and corrective surgery across disabilities; education opportunities

for children with disabilities in school of choice; sustained train-

ing programmes in special and inclusive education for teachers,

medical personnel, therapists etc.; access to learning tools such

as computers to assist students; a multidisciplinary approach to

the issue with greater agency coordination; need to adequately

resource the Student Support Services; greater advocacy; pro-

viding access to higher education for children with disabilities,

e.g. review of the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) decision not to

proceed with inclusion of children with disabilities in general

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POPULATION: Estimates of Population of Children with DisabilitiesPERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN POPULATION WITH DISABILITIESThe Turks and Caicos 2001 Census reported 0.7 per cent of children under 15 years of age with a disability and 1.4 per cent of the Youth (15-24) population with a disability. Children with disabilities under 15 represent 0.2 per cent of the national population and youth (15-24 years of age) also represent 0.2 per cent of the national population. Most of the children with disabilities (0-14 years of age) (54 per cent) were boys and 46 per cent were girls.

treatment of children; public education and awareness to reduce or remove stigma, discrimination, marginalization and isolation of children with disabilities; improvements to facilities and infrastructure, e.g. a school or institution for children with disabilities with specialist teachers and train-ers, physiotherapy etc. and a fully furnished and equipped resource training centre with day programmes for skill devel-opment in preparation for job opportunities; more work and employment opportunities; culturally sensitive program-ming that takes into consideration factors such as cultural diversity, economic status, racial differences and language differences of children with disabilities who need interven-tion but who are at a disadvantage as there is no bilingual programme available at this time; lack of funding for neces-sary resources, materials, personnel to effectively manage services or programmes; lack of political will and action; infrastructure challenges such as a lack of ramps; research and consistent measurements; development of a repository of statistics regarding the magnitude or pervasiveness of the problem; and limited funding and support systems.


� The Equality Bill was passed in 2012 to guarantee equal access in all spheres of life

PART III: Ways to Promote ParticipationStakeholders suggested that greater participation of chil-dren with disabilities in society will require increased effort in the areas of greater agency coordination particu-larly between key departments that have a link in this area, e.g. Department of Social Welfare, Health and Education; improving support services such as speech therapists, behavior socialists, testing coordinators, placement/tran-sition specialists and other specially trained staff for early detection and diagnostics; developing educational transi-tion programmes to help children with disabilities function at every stage and level as they progress and eventually leave school; continued training of teachers, parents and other personnel who cater to the needs of children with dis-abilities; Government’s fi nancial support to help progress children with disabilities; ongoing public education and awareness to change the negative attitudes and remove the stigma and discrimination targeted at children with disabil-ities by society; provision of opportunities to showcase and celebrate the capabilities of children with disabilities; updat-ing and restructuring legislation to bring it on par with the Convention Rights on children with disabilities; provision of transportation; international agency and regional partner-ships and support, e.g. exchange programmes with regional organizations that have had successful programmes for chil-dren with disabilities; and research with the conduct of a comprehensive study on this sector.

Turks & Caicos 2001 CensusYWD as Percentage of Youth and

National Population

CWD (0-14 years of age) as a percentage of chidren under

15 population

YWD (15-24 years of age) as a percentage of youth

population

YWD (15-24 years of age) as a percentage of national

population

CWD (0-14 years of age) as a percentage of national

population

0.2%

0.2%

1.7%

0.8%

0.2%

0.2%

1.2%

0.6%

0.2%

0.2%

1.4%

0.7%

PWD

Females WD

Males WD

Turks & Caicos 2001 CensusPercentage of CWD (0-14 years of age) by

Type of Disability

Blindness 29% 6% 18%Deafness 14% 28% 21%Dumbness/speech impediment 14% 28% 21%Limb impairment 19% 0% 10%Mental retardation 14% 6% 10%Other Disabilities 29% 33% 31%







TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

PROFILE BY TYPE OF IMPAIRMENTDeafness (21 per cent) and Speech impairments were found to be the most prevalent impairments for children with disabili-ties under 15 in the Turks and Caicos.

PART I: Priority Needs Interviewed stakeholders identifi ed a number of priorities for children with disabilities in the Turks and Caicos which focused on education and training e.g. special education instruction guided by a specialized curriculum in institu-tions of learning where special children are enrolled; early evaluation and appropriate diagnostic testing by special-ized medical practitioners and regular assessments and

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For further information please contact:UNICEF Offi ce for the Eastern Caribbean Area1st Floor, UN HouseMarine Gardens, Christ ChurchBarbados

Tel: +1 246 467 6000Fax: +1 246 436 2812Email: [email protected]: www.unicef.org/barbadosFacebook: www.facebook.com/UNICEFeasterncaribbeanYoutube: www.youtube.com/UNICEFeasterncaribbean

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) 2013

STATE OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN - Home page | UNICEF · British Virgin Islands ... boys than girls...

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