Children with disabilities and their families

This article is the third in a series of data releases from the 2001 Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS). This survey provides the most up-to-date and detailed information on children with disabilities in Canada, including information on the impact of their condition or health problem on the family. The PALS sample consisted of 8,000 children residing in households in the 10 provinces.

This article describes the lives of children between five and 14 years old who have disabilities, and the impact of their disability on the everyday activities and employment situation of their families. Specific themes covered here are:

• Help with everyday activities received by children with disabilities;
• Parents’ access to formal and informal help;
• Impacts of the child’s disability on the family’s employment situation;
• Children’s access to specialized aids and services;
• Household income

For detailed statistical tables on these themes, including provincial breakdowns, see Statistics Canada catalogue no. 89-586-XIE. For information about PALS, consult the section titled “Survey background” at the end of this document.