Belgium/"HandicapKids": a resource and self-help platform for parents of disabled children
Today is International Day of Disabled Persons. An opportunity to highlight HandicapKids, a Belgian platform designed and created for parents of children with disabilities. The platform, which creates social links and mutual support, centralizes a maximum of practical, diversified information. Its aim: to save them time, lighten their mental load and, above all, support them in their daily lives.
After a long period marked by the coronavirus epidemic and confinements in Belgium, parents of disabled children felt alone and helpless in the face of these difficult conditions. So, in 2022, they decided to set up a self-help page on Facebook: HandicapKids. The community is growing, needs are great and requests for information are pouring in.
At the same time, ADIM (a non-profit organization based in Boisfort) was working on new ideas. It specializes in the dissemination of information in the psycho-medico-social sector. In addition to its day-to-day tasks, it is keen to set up other projects. Following parents' testimonials collected during the confinements, she joined the adventure and in 2023 developed the HandicapKids platform as a continuation of the Facebook page.
"Today, our Facebook group has over 2,500 parents and relatives of children with disabilities. We get a lot of hits on the platform and send out a newsletter to over 10,000 parents," explains Sarah Abderrazak, the non-profit organization's project manager.
"No tool like 'HandicapKids' existed in French-speaking Belgium".
She explains how the platform came into being: "We brainstormed a lot about the needs of parents and students with disabilities [...] After reviewing the various initiatives, we put them to the vote. In the end, we decided to develop the 'HandicapKids' platform".
A choice that was far from insignificant: "Our decision was based on an observation that surprised us during our research: there was no platform in French-speaking Belgium that centralized essential resources for these parents [...]. [While there are organizations such as AVIQ (Agence pour une Vie de Qualité) in Wallonia and the PHARE service in the Brussels region, no tool like HandicapKids was available to them".
As a reminder, back in 2020, Unia called for greater inclusion in Belgium. The same applies to the voluntary sector, which sounded the alarm again last year. It declared that the rights of people with disabilities were being flouted on a daily basis.
Projects such as HandicapKids remain indispensable.
Sarah Abderrazak explains: "The aim is to enable parents and relatives to feel supported thanks to tools that are updated daily on the platform, to meet their needs and desires [...] The platform is also aimed at professionals in the sector".
What can I find on the "HandicapKids" platform?
The platform is packed with all kinds of useful information. From practical, financial and cultural information to contact requests, parents have access to a wide range of resources and listings.
HandicapKids offers
- A directory of the disability sector in French-speaking Belgium.
- A diary listing many upcoming adapted and inclusive activities in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
- Disability-related news. This tab is very rich and diversified. Parents can find information on financial aid, as well as presentations of inclusive projects and even guides to match current events (for example, a practical guide to an inclusive Valentine's Day), etc.
- Online education/leisure tools to support children with disabilities. These include games for visually impaired children, information on handisport and ASD.
- Good vibes" "cultural" features, always through the prism of inclusion and accessibility. These feature favorite articles on inclusive films, series about disability, reports on celebrities and influencers with disabilities, and more.
Sarah Abderrazak explains: "We don't want to be 'just' a site that writes events or offers a directory and classified ads. We want to show parents that we stand behind this platform. We do a lot of research, whether it's to post practical information, but also in connection with culture or current affairs in general in relation to people with disabilities."
HandicapKids ' Instagram page is also well-stocked, so don't hesitate to take a look.
Want to contribute to the platform and join the project? It's possible!
HandicapKids also features classified ads that anyone can post.
Sarah Abderrazak is keen to emphasize the participative aspect of the platform: "We're a small non-profit organization made up of 4 people. We add to it every week [...] but our aim is really to get parents involved. For example, if they want to sell specific equipment adapted to children with disabilities, or if they're looking for a babysitter, they can post an ad. [...] We take the same approach to our diary. For example, if a non-profit organization is organizing an adapted training course, it can post it on the platform".
It couldn't be simpler! All you have to do is create an account on the website, log in and post your ad, information or request. You can also post via the Facebook page.
Good to know: for logistical reasons, the "directory" tab is the only one that is not directly participative. However, the project manager points out that: "If an ASBL wants to be listed in the directory, it's perfectly possible. They can send us a request. The directory is very useful for parents and professionals in the sector".
Prospects for 2025 look bright and promising. HandicapKids would like to develop into an application. "We want the platform to evolve and come alive. We hope that other functionalities will continue to be added.Our wish is to help parents in their daily lives, so that they no longer feel alone, that they receive support and that the platform can also represent a means of communication between them and of mutual help," concludes Sarah Abderrazak.
Source: www.rtbf.be/article/
