Baseline Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs and Practices (KABP) Study

Highlights

Children with developmental delays and disabilities in the State of Palestine are often severely marginalized in their communities. They and their parents/caregivers may struggle with stigma and discrimination from those around them, and they also struggle with the challenges of living in a country in which many aspects of life are impacted by the political situation and the Occupation. Respondents report that they often struggle with the most basic task – transporting their children to receive services – as a result of lack of funding for assistive devices such as wheelchairs, poorly built or damaged roads, and an inability to pay for transportation services. Once a child arrives at a care facility, they may find that the services for which they have come are not available, or may be too expensive for the parents to afford. Nonetheless, parents/caregivers, extended family of children with developmental delays and disabilities, and many community members, leaders, and others express strong support for the rights of these children to receive an education and participate in social and cultural life of their communities.

It is in this context that this report presents the findings of a baseline Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs and Practices (KABP) study on children with developmental delays and disabilities and their parents/caregivers. The study was designed to inform the development of a C4D strategy for UNICEF State of Palestine that will promote Early Childhood Development (ECD) behaviours, increase demand for services among parents/caregivers of children with developmental delays and disabilities, and provide parents/caregivers with the knowledge, beliefs, and skills they need to confront stigma and discrimination when it occurs in their communities. Building on previous research and reports, this document is intended to provide baseline data for a multi-year communication strategy around ECD and children with developmental delays and disabilities.