Main description:

This book examines belonging as a key protective factor for enhancing resilience for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. It focuses on understanding intellectual and developmental disabilities and resilience from systemic and social-ecological perspectives, emphasizing the roles of professionals, families, and communities in combating long-standing segregation and health disparities experienced by individuals and families. The volume explores the dimensions of belonging across diverse professional fields using a person-centered approach that acknowledges the significant lifelong role of family members and emphasizes reflective practice for professionals. Chapters present research and innovative strategies to facilitate belonging when working alongside individuals and families.
Key areas of coverage include:

Family-professional partnerships in working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across lifespan and community contexts.
Spirituality, mental health, and identity in persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Research ethics and design in working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The diverse needs, desires, and preferences of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The importance of individualized planning and approaches in fostering belonging for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Belonging and Resilience in Individuals with Developmental Disabilities is a valuable resource for researchers, professors, and graduate students as well as clinicians, therapists, and related professionals in developmental psychology, family studies, public health, and social work as well as related disciplines, including education policy and politics, behavioral health, and psychiatry.

Contents:

Chapter 1. Disability as Diversity: Rethinking Resilience for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Families.- Chapter 2: Dimensions of Belonging for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.- Chapter 3: Schools as Places of Trusting Partnerships and Belonging for Families of Students with Disabilities.- Chapter 4. Using the Universal Design for Learning Framework to Understand the Power of Belonging.- Chapter 5. Identity and Belonging After Trauma.- Chapter 6. Whose Am I? Spiritual Pathways into the Heart of Belonging.- Chapter 7. Belonging and Knowledge Production: Fostering Influence over Science via Participatory Research with People with Developmental Disabilities.- Chapters 8. Belonging and Inclusion: Supporting Individuals and Families Throughout the Future Planning Process.