Browsing by Author "Pitt, Catherine"

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    A case study exploring community inclusion of adults with intellectual disabilities who participate in/attend  protective workshops in Cape Town
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-03) Pitt, Catherine; Geiger, Martha; Kahonde, Callista; Mji, Gubela; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Centre for Rehabilitation Studies.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY: Research shows that persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) are the most marginalized group among persons with disabilities in South Africa. Despite the progress in this country towards an inclusive and free country, persons with ID are not experiencing their full citizenship. Although South Africa signed and ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) almost two decades ago, persons with ID still have limited access to services that can facilitate their inclusion into communities. Some progress has been made in education with children with ID, but little progress has been made towards the inclusion of adults with ID into employment and community activities. Furthermore, they are seldom included in research even when the research seeks to understand their day-to-day experiences. This study therefore set out to explore the community inclusion opportunities and aspirations of persons with ID attending a protective workshop in Cape Town. This study used a case study methodology within a constructivist paradigm to explore the participants’ aspirations and opportunities for community inclusion. Methods of data collection were carefully selected and planned to ensure meaningful inclusion of the participants in the data collection process. The methods included interviews, focus groups, community mapping and field notes, which were supported by tools like pictures, icons, games, community maps and repetition of the questions and discussions. An analysis of secondary data was also conducted to seek further understanding of the study context and confirm the findings from other sources of data. Twenty-eight adults with ID within the age range of 21 and 54 years, recruited from two protective workshops, participated in the study. The data was analysed using thematic analysis and four themes were generated, namely; what I do in my community, what I want from independence, the significance of relationships, and the importance of work. Their inclusion opportunities in their community ranged from assisting in their homes, and participating in community activities and hobbies and the importance of work in achieving their experience of independence and relationships was described. The participants aspired to be included in more activities independently, understanding the barriers that their impairment and the context presented. Possible supports were identified to overcome their barriers. The findings demonstrate that with appropriate support available, persons with ID are capable of contributing meaningfully to their communities. This disrupts the status quo of myths and stereotypes about persons with ID that marginalize them. The participants grappled with the conflict of their desire for independence versus their identified vulnerability. Further, they described the variety of relationships that they find to mitigate loneliness. Finally, work was described as a facilitator of inclusion. These findings can inform policy developers to effect changes to service provision to establish supports for persons with ID to be included in their communities. Emerging from these findings was a possible tool of community inclusion which aligns the environment with the supports of persons with ID to facilitate inclusion in the activities of their own choice.
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    A journey towards inclusive education : a case study from a ‘township’ in South Africa
    (AOSIS Publishing, 2012-09) Luger, Rosemary; Prudhomme, Debbie; Bullen, Ann; Pitt, Catherine; Geiger, Martha
    The purpose of this case study was to relate part of the journey to appropriate education for two young children with physical disabilities in a low socio-economic peri-urban informal settlement – or ‘township’ – in South Africa. The part of the on-going journey described here spanned four-and-a-half years and included the two children, their families, their teachers, their community and a small team of rehabilitation professionals working for a non-profit organisation in the area. The rehabilitation professionals’ goals were to provide support for the children, their families, their current special care centre and the school(s) they would attend in the future. The steps from the special care centre, to a mainstream early childhood development (ECD) centre for both of them, and then on to (a) a school for learners with special educational needs (LSEN) for one child and (b) a mainstream primary school for the other, are described. Challenges encountered on the way included parental fears, community attitudes and physical accessibility. Practical outcomes included different placements for the two children with implications and recommendations for prioritised parent involvement, individual approaches, interdisciplinary and community-based collaborations. Recommendations are given for clinical contexts, curricula and policy matters; for research and for scaling up such a programme through community workers
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    Parents as partners : building collaborations to support the development of school readiness skills in under-resourced communities
    (Education Association of South Africa, 2013) Pitt, Catherine; Luger, Rosemary; Bullen, Ann; Phillips, Diana; Geiger, Martha
    The purpose of this paper is to present a preliminary, qualitative review of a therapeutic programme for preschool children and their parents in severely under-resourced contexts to aid the development of the underlying skills required to be ready for formal school. A team of two pairs, each comprising an occupational therapist and a community worker, responded to teachers’ requests to assist struggling children in their classes. This led to the development of a programme focusing on Grade R classes, by firstly helping teachers to develop their capability and confidence in assessing and assisting children to develop the abilities underlying vital school-readiness skills during whole-class, therapeutic group sessions. Secondly, parent group sessions were added to empower parents to understand and support their children’s development needs at home and so to complement the work done by teachers in the classroom. This second aspect, of working with the parents, developed owing to observations of the children’s irregular school attendance, scant parent-school contact, and teachers’ reports indicating that parents were not aware of, nor equipped to deal with, the challenges faced by their children. Implications for practice, for planning and for further research are discussed.