1.1 Introduction
A physically challenged child may be defined as a child who has disability of locomotors or neurological origin which constitutes disadvantages or restrictions in one or more aspect of daily living activities. It may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory and emotional type. The disability may be congenital or acquired. Oxford dictionary defined disabled as people with permanent illness or injury that makes it difficult for them to use part of their body completely or easily. Also, Child Right Act Law (2006) defines a child as person who has not attained the aged of eighteen (18) years. Therefore, the physically challenged children are under age that needs to be nurtured and assisted to overcome physically, emotional and mental challenges to develop into responsible adults.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Guidance and counseling are essential elements in discipline management of people in all societies even the most primitive societies grew out of the necessity of guiding individual’s behavior patterns in the interest of the group. Society itself could not function without the exercise of discipline. Using guidance and counseling to enhance discipline must be continuously being practiced if people are to work harmoniously for the achievement of common purpose. Hendrikz (1986) stresses that teachers and school administration have the responsibility of ensuring that students matures steadily along his own personal line. Students are priceless assets and most essential element in education.
It is an established fact that the importance of education to the development of any society cannot be over emphasized. The development of any society depends heavily on its level of education. According to Adelowo (2006) Education is the aggregate of all the processes by which a child or a young adult develops the abilities, attitudes and other forms of behavior which are of positive value to the society in which he lives. Dewey (2006) maintains that, education is wise, hopeful and respectful cultivation of learning undertaken in the belief that all should have the chance to share in life.
Disabled children in such situations are not always neglected (O’Toole & McKonkey, 2015). Estimates of the prevalence and severity of nutritional deficits among disabled children are complicated by the fact that physical disabilities will interfere with standard anthropometric measurements. For example, conditions such as kyphosis or bent legs can compromise the accuracy of standard height or length measurements and the extra arm exercise involved in using walking aids in some polio survivors can affect mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) results. Although international guidelines suggest disregarding anthropometric results from disabled children (United Nations, 2006), these children have the same right to good nutrition as non-disabled children so it is important to solve these measurement problems.
Individuals are usually considered physically at normal stage according to their health issue when they do work in daily routine and having no unusual concern related to children, which need attention to fulfill the any kind of task. Fundamental proficiencies are required at vast level to strive for maximum mass in routine activities, so in social aspect such qualities are considerable which enhance the self-determining as dominate factor in personality. Infirmity introduced when they failed to get biological adaptability in the way compared to other people, such kind of deficiency is called disability. Such aspects introduced deficiencies to the individual differently. However, few individuals who are prevented from acquiring this natural versatility because of a defect result in a disability. So, this disability usually leads to handicap when it retards, distorts or adversely affects the normal development and adjustment to life (Hunzai, 1993).
Similarly, Adedoja (2005) maintains that, education is the training of the entire person to enable him not only to be able to read and write or proficient in a given job, but also to enable him to fit himself for living in a society. Ahmad (2008) education is the process by which an individual born into a human society, learn the ways of life, which include knowledge, skills and values of the society, at home community and schools, so that he can function effectively as a member of the given society (Abosi, 2007).
In view of the above, it is therefore necessary to provide education for every member of the society regardless of any difference in order to achieve maximum development. In an attempt to provide education for all, the United Nations through the United National Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNICEF), United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNESCO) and other agencies are making efforts to make sure that all children received necessary education that will make them responsible members of the society. Government of different countries, non-governmental organizations are also making effort in this regard.
Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to examine the Impact of Counselling on the Integration of the Physically challenged students.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that children with disabilities will experience some of the following problems throughout their school age years. They may be subjected to a multitude of obstacles and barriers (i.e., non-acceptance, discrimination, stereotypically thinking). In some cases, these children experience more than their normal share of frustration and difficulty in attempting to resolve the issues that are encountered with daily living activities. It is not uncommon for children with disabilities to experience chronic hopelessness as a result of anxiety and depression. Sometimes they have access and performance problems in schools, which could or could not be related to the disability. Also, they show delayed development of self-concept that can influence one's sense of self-worth, and viewing one's self as dumb, damaged, weak, and vulnerable. This researcher intends to evaluate the health status of physically challenged children in school of special needs in Nigeria.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to examine the Impact of Counselling on the Integration of the Physically challenged students. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To examine the parental attitude towards counselling Physically challenged students.
- To measure the difference in parent’s attitude towards physically challenged children.
- To assess the impact of students’ gender and age with perceived social support.
- To investigate the factors inhibiting counselling integration among Physically challenged students in the area under study.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- Does parents have favorable attitude towards their physically challenge children?
- Is there any existing impact of guidance and counseling services towards physically challenged children?
- Does mothers have more positive attitude towards their physically challenge children compared to the fathers of physically challenge children?
- Does elderly parents have more positive attitude towards their physically challenge children than the parents of younger age?
- What are the parental attitudes towards physically handicapped children?
- What are the factors inhibiting counselling integration among Physically challenged students in the area under study?
- What is the impact of children gender and age with perceived social support?
- What are the attitudes of male and female parent towards physically handicapped children?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
- H01: Parents does not have favorable attitude towards counselling their physically challenged children.
- H02: There is no significant impact of guidance and counseling services towards physically challenged children.
- H03: Mothers does not have more positive attitude towards their physically handicapped children compared to the fathers of physically handicapped children.
- H04: Elderly parents does not have more positive attitude towards their physically handicapped children than the parents of younger age.
1.7 Significance of Study
The research study will be advantageous to the parental guide and for positive social attitude towards those handicapped children. This study will help in those approaches and strategies that integrate the parental attitude. Side by side present study will establish and be helpful to overcome all those social factors, which discourage the crippled children to enhance the child performance and learning capabilities.
It is unbelievable to discover that many parents in this era still lack the fundamental idea or basic knowledge of malnutrition effect on the health of their children. It is believed that at the end of this study the findings will be of utmost benefits to every parent on the need to checkmate the nutritional level in their daily diets.
To health care practitioners for a need to intensify their awareness campaign against malnutrition, to all expectant mothers, nursing mothers and the general public. To teachers in taking up the challenge to further educate these impaired children and stress the importance of balance diet to both parents and children who are ignorance those variable that have effects on physically impaired children health.
To the government in making provisions on the concept of good health on the physically impaired children in school of special needs. Finally, the findings of this study will serve as a reverence material to scholars who intend to embark on a research of this nature.
1.8 Scope of Study
The scope of the research is focused on the Impact of Counselling on the Integration of the physically challenged students in Argungu Local Government Area, Kebbi State, Nigeria.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
1.10 Definition of Terms
Physically Challenged: physical disability is a limitation on a person’s physical functioning, mobility, dexterity or stamina, other physical disabilities include impairments which limit other facets of daily living, such as respiratory disorders, blindness, epilepsy and sleep disorders.
Children: Biologically, a child (plural: children) is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty. The legal definition of child generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority.
