Disability, Home and Family in a Multicultural Context

Aotearoa New Zealand is home to many diverse peoples, each with a unique understanding of ‘home’ and ‘family’. 

But the way we think about home and family has evolved over time, with families taking on many shapes and forms. For example:

• blended families;
• single-parent families; 
• families headed by unmarried partners;
• rainbow families; 
• multigenerational households; 
• adoptive, foster and whangai families; 
• and more. 

For disabled people, our experience of home and family is not only impacted by culture, but also our experiences of disability, health and wellbeing. This includes the intimate role of support workers in our homes, and their engagement with us and our families.

Article 23 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Respect for Home and the Family) tells us that disabled people have a right to a home and family. But what does this mean in the context of modern-day Aotearoa New Zealand?

In this study we want to explore this question by asking disabled people and their family/whānau/aiga what they think about Article 23, and what respecting the right to home and family means to them. We will do this in two phases - a questionnaire, and qualitative interviews.

This study is sponsored by the Jubilee Trust. The Jubilee Trust was established in 1985 as the result of two generous donations by Lionel Brierly, who was supported by CCS Disability Action during his childhood.

Not only does the Trust provide financial support for disability-centred research, but it also encourages disabled people to continue their education, take on new opportunities and enhance their wellbeing. This is an acknowledgment of the strong contribution disabled people can bring to society.

To learn more about this study, please contact:

Dr Robbie Francis Watene

rfrancis@donaldbeasley.org.nz

027 529 2114

Dr Solmaz Nazari

Snazari@donaldbeasley.org.nz