English Essay: Analyzing Rachael's Story and Family Experiences

This essay provides an English analysis of "Rachael's Story," focusing on the Senneker family's experiences with disability and the impact on their lives. The essay delves into five key topics: family support and caring for children, changes within the family structure, the significance of preschool learning, empowering family members with disabilities, and the role of effective family support workers. Through these topics, the essay highlights how the story illustrates the challenges and triumphs of families navigating intellectual disabilities, emphasizing the importance of support, acceptance, and the potential for individuals with disabilities to thrive. The analysis draws upon the provided course content and the narrative to demonstrate how families can foster a supportive environment and empower their children. The essay also touches upon the emotional and practical adjustments families must make, underscoring the resilience and adaptability required to support a child with special needs and the broader community.

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Analysis of Rachael’s Story
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Introduction
The story outlines how Rachael had profound impacts on other people in society. It is evident
that Rachael brought people to a deeper level of awareness whereby she promoted them to be
better human beings. She was a role model for many people. Rachel's behavior illustrates how a
person with disabilities can succeed in life. Basically, it is an inspirational story that enlightens
families which have one of their children who has been identified to have intellectual disabilities
(Senneker, 2007 p.2). The discussion explains five topics which support the story of Rachael.
The topics identified from the story are; the issue of family support and caring for children,
Changes to family, importance of preschool learning, empowering members of family with
disabilities and lastly effective family support worker.
Changes to family
Generally, having a child with disability can impact the entire family both positive and negative.
The story clearly shows how the family was aware on the issue of disability. “Rachael found
deep friendship with our daughter. What this reveals is the true value of real inclusion and how
important it is, not just to the child being included, but to the whole community." (Senneker,
2007 p.30). The story shows how family members had devoted themselves to support and treat
Rachael. The issue of disability caused the entire family to work as a team so as to help the child
to survive.
Importance of preschool learning
Basically, the preschool leaning procedures will determine the future learning capabilities of
children. The story has emphasized on how Rachael joined school for learning aid. "Other times,
Rachael would be out in the community participating in activities with a friend." (Senneker,

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2007 p.27). Rachael participated in different activities in school. Therefore, the story indicates
how elementary learning helps children to master simple concepts. Rachael had a passion for
education services and that's why she worked well in her elementary level in school.
Family support and caring for children
Children always need care and support. The story of Rachael shows how the family worked
enough to help the child to survive. Her mother incurred huge bills in hospital but she was
focused to make sure Rachael receives the utmost support. Also, Rachael's siblings ensured that
the girl is in good condition all the time. The story educates the family on the importance of
supporting and caring for children. "If life was what she wanted then it was my duty as a parent
to provide just that." (Senneker, 2007 p.18). In addition, the story reveals how children in school
supported and cared for Rachael.
Encouraging members of family with disabilities
Basically, people with disability are not in a position to do things perfectly as the normal
individuals do in society. Rachael story indicates the entire concept of empowering people with
disabilities in families. "Rachel's journey is intended to help us realize the gifts a wheelchair-
bound, non-verbal person can give to their community when offered the opportunity to be
included." (Senneker, 2007 p.19). The story tries to enlighten society to avoid the issue of
discrimination which involves discriminating people with disabilities. Rachael did not suffer any
problem since the entire society and family had accepted the way she was created and therefore
working hard enough to ensure Rachael enjoys life as the other normal individuals in the society.
Effective family support worker

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Most of the times it is right said that friends are what we choose and friends are those who help
when indeed and in need. The story of Rachael shows the importance of having family workers.
Good friends are the family workers who help and support each one another at every stage. “In
March 1991, Connie became Rachel’s first support worker. She adored babies and had all the
qualities we were looking for” (Senneker, 2007 p.10). During childhood, it is evident that good
workers help in building effective features thus developing the issue of sharing and caring. The
story shows how small children co-operate with family workers (Berndt, 2018).
Conclusion
The story indicates how disability cannot be inability. No one would like to be born with
disability problems. Rachael has revealed how disability is not a barrier to one's life. The topics
discussed in the essay that's is the issue of family support and caring for children, changes to
family, importance of preschool learning, empowering members of family with disabilities and
lastly effective family support worker all help to support people with disability in the society.

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References
Senneker, Kathy. (2007). Rachel’s Story: Temporal changes in family structure, 1947-
2015. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 49(8), 1219-1226.