Effect of Economic Costs of Caring for Children with Intellectual Disability on Family Well-Being in Nakuru Municipality, Nakuru County, Kenya

Abstract

Taking care of children with intellectual disability (ID) comes with numerous demands and responsibilities. Unfortunately, there has been scanty documentation, especially from a sociological perspective on the economic implications to families of children with intellectual disability in the society and how it affects the wellbeing of the family. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of economic costs of caring for children with ID on the well-being of families in Nakuru Municipality, Nakuru County, Kenya. Family system theory underpinned this investigation. It used a descriptive research approach in which semi-structured interviews were used to examine how families of children with intellectual disabilities experienced life. A multi-stage sampling strategy combining proportionate cluster sampling and purposive sampling methods were used to choose a sample of 84 households from the 503 families of children enrolled in eight special schools for children with ID. The collected data was analysed using thematic content analysis, descriptive statistics, and inferential statistics, and the results were presented in the form of tables, figures, and illustrative quotes. According to the findings, 42.9% of families with children who have intellectual disabilities in Nakuru Municipality are not doing well. The cost of care and the disruption of carers' work have a big impact on how well the families are doing. The study suggests that, in order to improve the welfare of families with children with ID, policymakers at the State Department for Social Protection should strengthen programmes like the Cash Transfer for People with Disability that address the financial burden of caring for children with ID.