The publication “Psychological support for parents and guardians raising children with disabilities in Kazakhstan (white paper)” was prepared by Aigerim Kenzhebekova and Aliya Tlegenova with the support of the IWPR Representative Office in Central Asia and the regional analytical platform CABAR.asia.
For citation and references to the material, please indicate: Aigerim Kenzhebekova, Aliya Tlegenova, Psychological support for parents and guardians raising children with disabilities in Kazakhstan (white paper) 2026, CABAR.asia.
The publication notes that more than 103,000 families in Kazakhstan are raising children with disabilities and special educational needs. These families face chronic stress, emotional burnout, social isolation, and financial overload. According to the first large-scale study conducted by the Mama Pro Foundation for the Support and Development of Socially Vulnerable Women (2025), which included 1,119 parents and guardians, more than half of those surveyed reported a high need for psychological and social support, yet access to it remains extremely limited.
International and Kazakhstani experience shows that the lack of systemic support for parents negatively impacts not only their health but also the effectiveness of rehabilitation and educational programs for children themselves. The authors believe that the key challenge in Kazakhstan remains the lack of institutionalized psychological support for parents.
The material contains specific recommendations for relevant government agencies, including the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection. Specifically, the authors suggest that psychological support for parents and guardians (individual and group consultations) should be included in individual rehabilitation programs (IRPs) for children as part of a package of guaranteed medical services.
Kazakhstan faces a crucial choice: continue to support families with children with disabilities in a fragmented manner or transition to a systemic model of assistance focused on the resilience of the entire family. Incorporating psychological support for parents into government mechanisms will be the first step toward building a comprehensive, equally accessible, and sustainable system. This decision will not only reduce parental burnout but also increase the effectiveness of measures for the rehabilitation and social integration of children.
‘This publication was funded by the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of IWPR and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.