Socio-cultural rehabilitation of families with children with disabilities via self-help groups
In this article, the authors, in their theoretical reflections, relying on the works of a number of researchers, especially dwell on a possible socio-cultural solution to the problem field of families raising children with disabilities in the process of their socialization. Many problems of this kind (such as stressed, depressed state of parents, social isolation, inability (or unwillingness) of parents to organize leisure time), cannot be solved without a close, supportive social environment (family, relatives, friends) and an understanding society ready to provide all possible social assistance. The hypothesis of the study lies in the assumption that it is possible to help in the socio-cultural rehabilitation of families raising a child with disabilities, subject to the study of socio-psychological and socio-cultural problems, as well as the creation and inclusion of a self-help group in the socialization process. The results of an empirical study, the respondents of which were parents with children with disabilities, which took place on the basis of the State Budgetary Institution of Social Services of the Pskov Region “Rehabilitation Center for Children and Adolescents with Disabilities”, Velikiye Luki, made it possible to identify the main socio-psychological problems (stress, anxiety, fatigue, indifference, alienation, etc.) and difficulty with family leisure activities. Thus, a comprehensive diagnosis of families raising children with disabilities made it possible to talk about problems in the processes of social adaptation, social education and upbringing, and the social development of a child with disabilities. To solve the above problems, self-help groups were organized with the support of specialists (social workers, psychologists, doctors) and the active work of families raising healthy children and children with disabilities who have positive experience in socio-cultural rehabilitation in the process of socialization