Living in Spain - children with disabilities.

[bente]

Does anyone have any insight into what it is like to live in Spain with a child with disabilites? Is it the norm that they are cared for by the family or institutionalized?

[mamamille]

I can't say for sure to your particulars, but since moving to Madrid I can say a) they start school VERY early, like 2, so chances are they would have a specialized school to goto, and b) I have seen many down's syndrom older children in groups,and working in the markets and such so my guess is that they are integrated and not hidden away... Also they have a lot of live in help, even middle class families will have a live in housekeeper or nanny, so I would imagine that as well is a factor...
hope that helps...

[bente]

Thank you Mamamille

I have a friend who has 2 children and one with a disability. She homeschools and takes care of her disabled child (with some in home help, rather than institution) and she is interested in Spain. We spend time in Spain and homeschool and although it is not very common for HS in Spain we don't have any bad reactions to it (that we are foreigners and only stay a few months out of the year is probably a factor in that).

She was wondering if the family oriented lifestyle also includes disabled children. The homeschooling and attachment style parenting already makes her a bit of a "freak" where we live and she wants to live somewhere where it is more normal for children to live at home even if they are not AP. I told her that Spain is definatly a country where the children live at home til they marry and move out.....

How do you like Madrid?