Gaining Access to Support for Children with Special Educational Needs in the Early Years in Ireland: Parental Perspectives

Y

14

Foreign Countries; Special Education; Inclusion; Early Childhood Education; Young Children; Educational Assessment; Early Intervention; Semi Structured Interviews; Focus Groups; Parent Attitudes; Counselor Attitudes; Allied Health Personnel; Case Studies; Parent Participation; Longitudinal Studies; Mixed Methods Research; Resources; Disabilities; Equal Education; Educational Legislation; Federal Legislation

10.1080/09669760.2017.1321529

0966-9760

Ireland has a policy of inclusive education to enable children with special educational needs to access education alongside their peers. The introduction of early assessment procedures to ensure that children receive support and resources on entering formal education has been an important strategy for delivery of this policy. This paper uses data from interviews with parents and from focus groups with professionals involved in assessment to discuss the efficacy of this procedure. The findings suggest that whilst a policy has been adopted, much remains to be done to ensure that provision of assessment and adequate resources is achieved.

As Provided

47

2017

EJ1159001