Language
  • English
  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • Portuguese
  • Spanish
  • Swedish

Insurance Funding Request

Did you know Firefly products may be funded by your insurance?

Learn More
Back to Firefly Blog

Best Countries for People with Intellectual Disabilities

Best Countries for People with Intellectual Disabilities

The tension of feeling a public outcast only adds to the challenges you face as a parent.

You find yourself cycling through an endless argument with yourself and sometimes with your spouse and other family members:

“He’s just going to need to get a thick skin.”

“Maybe she needs to be in a special school where the other kids are more like her, so these things wouldn’t be happening all the time.”

“Surely there’s someplace we could go where people would be more accepting.”

At least when it comes to children with intellectual disabilities, the answer is: there may in fact be someplace where people are more accepting.

The Gallup organization polled people in 112 of the world’s 195 countries about their attitudes to people with intellectual disabilities.

Gallup used the definition of, “intellectual disability”, familiar from the Special Olympics, which now encompass athletes from 150 countries.
That organisation defines an, “intellectual disability”, as a condition which meets three criteria:

  • An IQ below 70 to 75
  • Significant limitations in at least two skill areas
  • Begins before age 18

Most Welcoming Countries for Intellectual Disabilities

Gallup asked citizens, “Is the city or area where you live a good place or not a good place for people with intellectual disabilities?” Based on the Gallup poll, the countries most accepting of people with intellectual disabilities are these:

  • Europe: The Netherlands – 91 percent “good place”
  • Australasia: New Zealand – 90 percent  “good place”
  • The Americas: Canada – 86 percent “good place”
  • Middle East and North Africa: Syria – 79 percent “good place”
  • Sub-Saharan Africa: Mali – 74 percent “good place”
  • Former Soviet Union: Belarus – 56 percent “good place”

The countries where at least 75 percent of adults surveyed thought their country was a, “good place”, for people with intellectual disabilities, according to the poll, were these:

  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Germany
  • United Kingdom
  • Austria
  • Uruguay
  • Spain
  • Canada
  • Argentina
  • Luxembourg
  • Ireland
  • Denmark
  • Sweden
  • Belgium
  • United States
  • Portugal
  • Malta
  • Slovenia
  • Australia
  • Syria
  • Cyprus
  • Morocco
  • Taiwan
  • France
  • Ecuador
  • Finland

Least Welcoming Countries for Intellectual Disabilities

The countries where fewer than 5 in 10 adults thought their country was a, “good place”, for people with intellectual disabilities included many countries where economies are still developing.

This matches up with Gallup’s finding that income and education influence a person’s sense that the community is a, “good place”, for those with intellectual challenges.

Countries where incomes and educational attainment are almost uniformly low tend to be places where people believe their communities are not good places for people with intellectual disabilities.

Some countries frequently under military threat, including many nations in the Middle East, did not consider themselves good places for those with intellectual disabilities.

This undoubtedly represents families’ urge to protect their challenged children and should be put to their credit.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/148253/europeans-open-intellectual-disabilities.aspx#2

Firefly Blog

Real life stories, issues and experiences of day to day life by special needs parents and
healthcare professionals.

Firefly

Meet Our Blogger

For Firefly, life is all about experiences and being face to face with friends and loved ones. By enhancing the child's perspective and giving them the tools to 'join in', the child not only has the opportunity to participate, but can also be at the heart of it.

View Firefly’s Profile

Become a Firefly Blogger

Would you like to write for Firefly? Join our blogger network of parents, therapists and professionals.

Get In Touch

Become a subscriber today

Join over 40,000 subscribers to our weekly newsletter with insightful articles just when you need them.

Join Mailing List

By using our site you agree to our use of cookies. Click here for more info.

Accept & Close

No Interest if paid in full in 6 months on

Purchases on $99+

US Customers only. Subject to credit approval. See terms below

Paypal Credit

Pay now or pay over time with PayPal Credit. Just use PayPal Credit in PayPal checkout.

Subject to credit approval.

Purchases of $99+:

No Interest if paid in full in 6 months on purchases of $99 or more.

  • A minimum monthly payment is required and may or may not pay off the promotional purchase by the end of the 6 month period.
  • No interest will be charged on the purchase if you pay it off in full within 6 months. If you do not, interest will be charged on the purchase from the purchase date at the Purchase APR applicable to your account.
  • For New Accounts: Variable Purchase APR is 25.49%. The APR is accurate as of 6/1/2018 and will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate (as defined in your credit card agreement). Minimum interest charge is $2.00.
  • Individual items that are less than $99 qualify for special financing when combined for a total of $99 or more in a single transaction.
  • Multiple separate transactions of less than $99 per transaction cannot be combined to meet the minimum purchase amount.

Purchases of $98.99 or less:

Buy now and pay over time with PayPal Credit when you spend $98.99 or less.

  • If you pay your balance in full each month by the payment due date that is on your statement, you can avoid paying interest.
  • Or, make minimum monthly payments, or any additional amount of your choosing, until you've paid off your balance according to your standard account terms. Please note, interest charges may apply.
  • We'll send you email reminders when your payments are due. You can also keep track of your account and view your statements online at any time.

About PayPal Credit

  • PayPal Credit is a reusable credit line available on purchases at thousands of stores that accept PayPal. It's also available for purchases on eBay and exclusively at thousands of other online stores. Plus, it comes with the same security and flexibility you trust from PayPal.
  • If approved, we start you off with a minimum credit line of at least $250. See FAQs for more info.
  • For New Accounts: Variable Purchase APR is 25.49%. The APR is accurate as of 6/1/2018 and will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate (as defined in your credit card agreement). Minimum interest charge is $2.00. See Terms and Conditions tab for more info.
  • If you miss a payment your late fee could be up to $38, even less if it's your first time. See FAQs for more info.

Please wait...