Professional Helpers and Families with Disabled Children: A Social Network Perspective

This chapter focuses on types of support which generally fall into the category of formal, or professional, help. Indirect effects of professional social network support can be seen as help from which the child benefits although the support provided to parents, as in parent training for dealing with special needs of the child. The notion of social support systems and social networks are utilized centrally, in an effort to consider the extent to which institutions and groups function supportively. One useful framework for understanding the ways in which families with handicapped children interact in general with other systems is Bronfenbrenner's concept of social ecology. The types of social support that can be provided are many, and include: emotional help; assistance with problem solving; and feedback and self-evaluation. Kazak and Wilcox investigated social network characteristics in families with and without a child with spina bifida.