Inclusive and Supportive Education Congress International Special Education Conference Inclusion: Celebrating Diversity? 1st - 4th August 2005. Glasgow, Scotland

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Parent aspirations on the future of children
with special education needs in Greece

Kalambouka, A. 1, Kouvava, S. 2, Antonopoulou K. 3,4, Aroni, S. 4, Kranioti, S. 4,
Kostidou, M. 4, Margariti, E. 4, Gerasimatou, A. 4, Nezini, M. 4 & Arvanitis, D. 4

1University of Manchester, Manchester, U.K., Afroditi.Kalambouka@manchester.ac.uk
2Centre for Diagnosis, Evaluation and Support, Ministry of Education, Athens, Greece, skouvava@yahoo.gr
3Harokopio University, Athens, Greece, kantonopoulou@hotmail.com
41 st Public Special Primary School of Keratsini, Piraeus, Greece

Introduction

This study examines future aspirations of parents of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) in Greece.   Past research focusing on young people with sensory, physical and severe learning difficulties has shown that these young people have less opportunities than their non-disable peers to be involved in paid work, live independently of their immediate familial environment and receive continual educational and psychological support (Redmond, 1996, Routledge, 2000).   Findings also indicate that young people with special needs rely on their parents and family for social and leisure activities and have limited social lives.   Parents often appear to abandon their aspirations for ‘normal’ life very soon after the child finishes school and adopt a more realistic view of their own and their children’s vulnerability and multiple needs (Heyman & Huckle, 1993).

The present study had two main aims.   First, to determine the aspirations and concerns which parents of children and adolescents with moderate to severe learning difficulties have in terms of post-school provision and long-term social, educational and health care.   This information could provide a good insight on the development of community based residential and social services and the formation of long –life educational programmes.   A second aim was to propose plausible ways of accomplishing parental vision for long-term support provided by the local authorities.

It has been established that parental concerns about the personal welfare of their children with special needs, worries about the extent to which the adult service system can meet their children’s multiple needs and the realization that parental responsibilities cover a very long period of child life, constitute a burden for and deeply affect families of children and adolescents with learning difficulties (Field & Hoffman, 1999, Fong et al., 1993, Smyth & McConkey, 2003).   Educational, employment and lifestyle aspirations may start forming at an early stage in life and may often reflect the socio-economic background and cultural ‘habitus’ of children’s environment (Hofferth et al., 2000).   How this parental burden can be removed and who will take this responsibility are questions, which have not been addressed adequately within the empirical and theoretical literature.

Very little is known about the major parental concerns associated with the transition of children with special needs from school age to adulthood.   Fong et al. (1993), conducted a research in which they articulated six major parental worries: behavioural concerns (aggression, hyperactivity, obsessions), social and communicative concerns (inadequate social skills), family related concerns (reliance to family, constant supervision), education (inclusive educational programmes), relationships with professionals (ineffective communication, limited language skill) and independence (vocational, leisure and residential services).   According to the literature, among the major factors influencing parental aspirations are children’s academic achievement and parent educational qualifications (Masino & Hodapp, 1996; Casey et al., in press).   Furthermore, research evidence also supports that there is a major gap in education, social services and provision and as a result parents feel unsupported and confused (Smyth & McConkey, 2003).

With regard to the above parental concerns, the present study provides an opportunity to explore this issue with Greek families of children with SEN and highlight the need for radical reshaping of the state provision in Greece.   Recent legislation and policy initiatives in Greece have provided a variety of opportunities for pupils with SEN and their families.   However, research into the aspirations of these families is scarce, providing thus limited chance for the families’ voices to be heard.   As far as the education of children with SEN in Greece is concerned the latest relevant law (2817/2000) issued by the Ministry of Education, defines the following types of educational provision:

• Mainstream primary schools with support from special needs teacher for children aged between 6 to 12 years.
• Special needs units situated in mainstream primary and secondary schools.
• Special schools:
• Special nurseries for 4- to 6-year olds.
• Special primary schools for 6- to 14-year olds.
• Special secondary schools for 14- to 22-year olds and
• Independent special units for educational and professional training for 14- to 22- year olds.

• Home education in exceptional cases.

The following data (Table 1), which were published by the Ministry of Education and the Educational Institute, refer to pupils with SEN who were placed in educational settings in Greece, in 2003.

Table 1: Number of children with SEN receiving schooling in Greece in 2003

The existing educational system cannot effectively accommodate the majority of individuals with learning difficulties.   Only a small number of children and young people with SEN receive schooling in Greece (15850 individuals, about 10% of the school aged population with special educational needs), reflecting that both education and state provision for families with children with SEN is inadequate.

Apart from the above-mentioned public educational provision, the Ministry of Health and Social Care offers support and training opportunities for adolescents with SEN but this support is limited and fails to respond adequately to the multiple and complex needs of these young people.   Long-life support for people with SEN above the age of 22 years is scare in Greece.   In the area of Attica where almost half of the entire population of Greece lives and receives education, 14 private institutions provide full - day services, accommodation and continuous education to children and young people with learning disabilities.   Only 1 of these institutions offers opportunities for education and social development to adults with learning disabilities above the age of 30 years.   The situation appears to be similar in rural areas of Greece.   Seventeen private institutions can fully accommodate a restricted number of children and adolescents with special needs and only four undertake continuous supervision and education for adults (National Centre of Social Studies, 2003).

Method

Participants

A sample of 150 families of children and adolescents with SEN took part in the study.   The children of the participating families were diagnosed with a variety of special educational needs (moderate learning difficulties, autism, mobility and neurological problems, and specific learning difficulties).   The special educational needs statement of all children came from local public centres for diagnosis, evaluation and support.   Children’s major difficulties are presented in figure 1.

Figure 1: Type of special educational needs

Children’s age ranged between 6 and 22 years old.   All children attended public schools in the area of Athens.   Schools were either mainstream or special.   Figure 2 presents the schools from which the sample was drawn.   All schools were situated within the area of Attica, Greece.   The category ‘other type of school’ may refer to any private type of schooling.

Figure 2: Type of school

Figure 3 provides a picture of the occupational background of the respondents.   A large number of parents of children with SEN appear to be unemployed.   Most of them find it difficult to get a proper job and some reported that their children’s difficulty was the main reason why they don’t work. It must be emphasized here that most of the respondents were the mothers of children with SEN who reported that the main source of family income came from the father or another member of family.

Figure 3: Parental occupational status

Research instrument

A 38-item questionnaire was distributed to parents. The authors had devised the pilot questionnaire instrument.   Some items used had been taken from previous interview/questionnaire instruments (Polat et al., 2001) and were adapted to the Greek educational system.   Information collected through the questionnaire included family background, schooling main characteristics and pupils’ schooling experiences and aspirations of parents in relation to their child’s life once she/he leaves school.

Results

The results provide an initial picture of the factors that can possibly contribute to forming of specific aspirations.   Results indicate that parent aspirations of children with SEN in Greece are low.   Parents’ major concerns relate to the lack of public supportive educational environments within the local community and the weak link between the families of children with SEN and state services.   The conclusions can have practical implications for educational policy makers and educational and support services providers.

Figure 4 shows the main parental aspirations and expectations with regard to their children’s life skills after schooling.   Many parents wish for their child to be able to live independently in the future.   However, their expectations for future independency are weaker than their aspirations.   A few parents wish their children be able to live independently with support from the community but knowing the lack of such kind of services in Greece this option is not realistic and therefore is not reported in their answers.

Figure 4: Parents’ views for long life skills

Figure 5 reflects parents’ aspirations and expectations towards future educational provision for their children.   Most respondents wish and expect their children will be able to continue either professional or other supported training.   This indicates that parents in Greece value education as a very important factor contributing to the future well being of their children.

Figure 5: Parents’ views for future education

Table 2 shows that parents mainly worry about their children’s ability to live on their own without their constant presence and support of family, to create their own families and be able to continue their education or find a job.

Table 2: Parent future worries

Table 3 presents parental recommendations for improvements, which are important for a better, and more secure future for their children.   It is interesting that a large number of parents chose not to suggest anything.   It could be speculated that parents in Greece do not expect much change in social and educational provision for children with SEN.

Table 3: Parental suggestions for improvement in state provision

Conclusion

There are several limitations to the present study that need to be commented.   First, the data analysed are drawn from written comments made by parents to the several questions of the self-administered questionnaire.   Perhaps, direct probing within a face-to-face interview may have led to a deeper insight into the problems faced by and the real worries of families of children with SEN during the transitional period from school-life to adulthood.   An implementation of interview sessions with parents is a method of collecting useful data that is suggested, therefore, in a future study.   Second, responses reflect parental perspectives and attitudes and future concerns with regard to children’s future life.   It would be extremely helpful to know the attitude of young people with learning difficulties towards independent living, paid work and adult life.

Preliminary findings indicate that parents of children with SEN in Greece have the same concerns as parents worldwide.   They worry about their children’s future independent familial life and they feel uncertain about the possibility of continuous support and education for their children.   The same parental worries have been discussed by previous studies (Fong et al., 1993). Parents also have aspirations for their children’s future; yet often feel that real improvement in social care and provision is not possible.   The following recommendations must be taken into consideration by Greek policy makers and support services in order to create a more secure and supportive environment for both families and children with learning difficulties.

• An increase of appropriate services in order to meet the needs of pupils with SEN and their parents’ aspirations.
• An increase of available options for the after-compulsory school life.
• More research with larger samples of pupils with SEN and their families across a wider spectrum of socio-economic status and geographical regions.
• Co-ordination from a range of agencies/services (educational, social and employment) in order to create more meaningful paid vocational opportunities for young people with SEN.

Families of people with SEN have become an important source of information for researchers and service providers who are responsible for the provision of appropriate family support and community-based services.   The current study initiates research into the area of long-life support for people with learning difficulties and their families by illustrating that family experiences and future aspirations are complex and multivariate.

References

Casey, L., Davies, P., Kalambouka, A., Nelson, N. & Boyle, B. The Influence of schooling on the aspirations of young people with special educational needs. (in press).

Field, S. & Hoffman, A. (1999). The importance of family involvement for promoting self-determination in adolescents with autism and other developmental disabilities. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 14, 36-41.

Fong, L., Wilgosh, L. & Sobsey, D. (1993). The experience of parenting an adolescent with autism. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 40, 105-113.

Heyman, B. & Huckle, S. (1993). ‘Normal’ life in a hazardous world: how adults with moderate learning disabilities cope with risks and dangers. Disability Society, 8, 143-160.

Hofferth, S. L., Smith, J., McLoyd, V. C. & Finkelstein, J. (2000). Achievement and behaviour among children of welfare recipients, welfare leavers and low-income single mothers. Journal of Social Issues, 56, 747-774.

Masino, L. L.& Hodapp, R. M. (1996). Parental educational expectations for adolescents with disabilities. Exceptional Children, 62 (6), 515-519.

National Centre for Social Studies – Institute of Social Policy (2003). Special Centres for Children and Adolescents with Mobility, Mental and Sensory Difficulties.   Athens: National Centre for Social Studies.

Polat, F., Kalambouka, A., Boyle, B. & Nelson, N. (2001). Post-16 Transitions of Pupils with Special Educational Needs: Wave one of the National Longitudinal Study. DfES Research Report RR315 (ISBN: 1841856363). London: DfES Publications.

Redmond, B. (1996). Listening to parents: the aspirations, expectations and anxieties of parents about their teenager with learning disabilities. Dublin, Family Studies Centre – UCD.

Routledge, M. (2000). Collective responsibilities, fragmented systems: transition to adulthood for young people with learning disabilities. Tizard Learning Disability Review, 5, 17-26.

Smyth, M. & McConkey, R. (2003). Future aspirations of students with severe learning disabilities and their parents on leaving special schooling. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 31, 54-59.

Special Education Legislation 2817/2000, Ministry of Education, Greece. Available e-mail: http://www.ypepth.gr

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