In my master's thesis, I am investigating the challenges faced by parents of children with special needs before and during the transition of their child from regular primary school to an adapted education program with a lower educational standard.
In the theoretical part, I first define children with special needs and present the characteristics of educating children with special needs in regular primary schools, as well as the characteristics of educating children with special needs in an adapted education program with a lower educational standard. In the theoretical part, I also discuss the issues that parents of children with special needs face and the challenges they overcome.
In the empirical part, I conduct a qualitative study consisting of semi-structured interviews with eight mothers who have experience with transferring their child from a regular primary school to an adapted education program with a lower educational standard. I examine how the parents' decision to transfer is influenced by their relationship with the counselling staff at the school, what information they need when making the decision, the difficulties they face, and where they seek sources of support. The findings indicate that the relationship with the professional workers is important in the decision-making process, and parents require more information about the transfer from the professional workers in regular primary schools. They are interested in understanding the implications of the transfer for their child's secondary education and independence. The findings also reveal the challenges parents face and the significance of social support during the transition process.
Through this research, I aim to contribute to the socio-pedagogical field by providing insights into the experiences of parents before and during the transfer of their child. I hope to encourage professional workers to provide timely information to parents and enhance their understanding when making decisions regarding the transfer.
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