Disability Policy in China

Xiaoyuan Shang is a Professor, Beijing Normal University, and Associate Professor, Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Australia. She is a leading international expert in the research of children welfare and protection in China. Karen R. Fisher is an Associate Professor, Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Australia. She is a social policy researcher on the organisation of social services, including disability policy, in Australia and China.

"This comprehensive introduction to China’s disability policies and programs focuses on children with disabilities and their families and covers almost every aspect of the lives of children with disabilities, including their right to life and protection, health care, education, social participation, and so on. In each chapter, the authors (both, Univ. of New South Wales, Australia) use abundant data published by China’s government and international organizations as background footnotes and case studies of children with disabilities and their families to reveal a deep gap between ideals and reality in their daily lives. Despite noting substantial improvement enabled by national and local disability policies and programs, the authors emphasize what is still lacking in the care and protection of disabled children with specific examples of the difficulties and barriers that prevent such children from obtaining sufficient health care, protection, education, and social development opportunities. The authors also provide insightful suggestions that could help families, local and national governments, educators, health care workers, and so on improve the care and protection of children with disabilities in the future." Summing Up: Recommended. -- A. Y. Lee, George Mason University, in CHOICE

• 1. Introduction to child disability in China 2. Rights of children with disabilities in China 3. Profile of children with disabilities and families in China 4 .Welfare provision of children with disabilities 5. Right to life and protection 6. Right to care and protection – support for mothers 7. Right to care and protection – alternative family care 8. Right to economic security 9. Right to children’s development – health and therapy services 10. Right to children’s development – education policy 11. Right children’s development – education experiences 12. Right social participation – social institutions of support 13. Interrelated rights and social exclusion 14. Child and family disability policy in China