Special needs child and maintaining your relationships - Introduction

Having a child can put extra strain on any relationship; having a special needs child brings additional challenges of its own. It can feel like the world is against you.

This month on thecoupleconnection.net we have a series of new articles to help you strengthen your relationship with your partner while facing the challenges and delights of having a child with additional needs.

These articles have been taken from a brand new book Special Needs Child; Maintaining Your Relationship - Staying connected through the highs and lows by Victoria Dawson and Antonia Chitty

In writing this book the authors drew on research from One Plus One to highlight the difficulties that many couples face in their relationship when their child has a disability. One Plus One's research provided a starting point for the book and both authors say they recognise that there is little emotional support available for parents of children with additional needs. 

They hope that their new book and related articles on thecoupleconnection.net   will support parents to strengthen their relationship and help them to enjoy family life to the full.  The book is packed with advice from parents with special needs children to give the reader insight into how to maintain a relationship whilst recognising the importance of celebrating their child.

About the Authors
Victoria Dawson has worked with children with special needs and their families for over 10 years.  She holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Special and Inclusive Education, a Diploma in Counselling and is a qualified teacher.  Victoria is passionate about supporting and empowering families of disabled children and it is the parents that she has worked with that have inspired her to write this book.
 
Antonia Chitty is an experienced author and journalist who has worked in the field of visual impairment for a number of years.  During this time she developed an understanding of issues around disability and having a child with special educational needs.