ABSTRACT:
About half of the people with disabilities in Brazil are women, and some of them become mothers. However, there is no data in literature about the specific needs of this population. Tus, this paper aims to present the perceptions of women with physical and visual disabilities about themselves, about everyday life as mothers, about support networks and the relationship between family and school. The research followed a qualitative methodology and used narratives as a means of data collection. Six women participated in the study, three with visual impairment and three with physical disability. The findings are presented in two categories: 1) women’s conceptions of their disability, which summarizes their expressions about interactions with society that affect their self-image; and 2) daily life of motherhood, which addresses the accounts of these women’s daily lives and experiences as mothers, including their formal and informal support networks, daily challenges and necessary adjustments in caring for their children, relationships with school and the community, and how the children develop and self-organize in the face of their mother’s limitations. The narratives brought to light important elements of these women’s daily lives that are invisible to society and to professionals working with people with disabilities. This shows the need to promote professional practices and more research on the subject in order to create a more inclusive society.
KEYWORDS:
Motherhood; People with disabilities; Daily life activities; Family; School