THE OPINIONS OF MOTHER, TEACHER AND CARER ON THE ROLE OF CAREGIVERS IN THE EDUCATION OF STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Abstract

This research aims to determine the views of mothers, teachers, and caregivers about the role of caregivers working in special education schools in the education of children with special needs. In line with this purpose, in the 2020-2021 academic year, five state and five private special education centers with school caregivers in Nicosia, Famagusta, and Kyrenia affiliated to the TRNC Ministry of National Education, in a total of 10 institutions (working teachers, caregivers and those with special needs). In addition, data were collected from mothers with children. In this context, the present research was conducted with the voluntary participation of 45 teachers, 17 mothers, and seven caregivers. The majority of mothers and teachers stated that at the beginning of their expectations from caregivers, they should support children in their daily needs and treat children well, support their self-care needs and ensure the socialization of children. While most mothers and teachers see caregivers as inadequate in their child's education, caregivers see themselves as sufficient. Findings indicate that caregivers should receive in-service training to be more efficient in children's education.

Keywords: Students with special needs, the role of caregivers regarding education, family, special education teacher, caregiver.

REFERENCES

Altınkurt, N. (2008). Özel eğitim ve rehabilitasyon merkezlerinde yaşanılan sorunlar ve çözüm önerileri [Problems and solutions in special education and rehabilitation centers], (Unpublished master’s thesis). Dokuz Eylül University. .

Aydın, O. (2002). Tutumlar [Attitudes]. E. Özkalp (Ed.). Davranış bilimlerine giriş içinde [In introduction to behavioral sciences] (pp. 279-295). Eskişehir: Anadolu Üniversitesi Yayınları.

Avcıoğlu, H. (2015). A’dan Z’ye BEP: Bireyselleştirilmiş eğitim programlarının geliştirilmesi [BEP from A to Z: Developing individualized training programs]. Ankara: Vize Publishing.

Borbasi, S., Bottroff, V., Williams, R. P., Jones, J., & Douglas, H. (2009). 'No going back to institutional care for people with severe disability: Reflections on practice through an interpretive study. Disability and Rehabilitation, 30(11), 837-847. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638280701419359

Carpenter, B. (2005). Early childhood intervention: possibilities and prospects for professionals, families, and children. British Journal of Special Education, 32(4), 176-183. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8578.2005.00394.x

Chang, S., Zhang, Y., Jeyagurunathan, A., Lau, Y.W., Sagayadevan, V., Chong, S.A., & Subramaniam, M. (2016). Providing care to relatives with mental illness: reactions and distress among primary informal caregivers. BMC Psychiatry, 16(1), 1-9. Retrieved 17 January 2020 from, https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-016-0786-9

Ceylan, R. (2019). Ebeveynlerin okul öncesi dönemdeki çocukları için kreş tercih sebepleri, kreş seçerken göz önünde bulundurdukları kriterler ve kreşten beklentileri [Parents' reasons for choosing a nursery for their pre-school children, the criteria they consider when choosing a nursery, and their expectations from the nursery]. Electronic Journal of Social Sciences, 18(70), 497-517. https://doi.org/10.17755/esosder.414788

Clevenger, M. R. (2016). Senior leaders as effective fundraisers: A toolbox for dealing with complexities in the new ecology. In facilitating higher education growth through fundraising and philanthropy (pp. 82-107). IGI Global. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-9664-8.ch004

Ünüsan, N. (2004). 5-6 yaş çocuklarının öz bakım becerilerinin cinsiyet ve okul öncesi eğitim alma durumlarına göre [Self-care skills of 5-6 year old children according to gender and pre-school education status.] Journal of Selçuk University Social Sciences Vocational School, 7(1-2), 205-218.

Demirkan Baytar, B. (2014). Dil gelişimi sorunlarının ortaya çıkışında bakıcının rolü [The role of the caregiver in the emergence of language development problems] (Unpublished master’s thesis). Maltepe University.

Dinç Kahraman, S. (2010). Kadınların toplumsal cinsiyet eşitsizliğine yönelik görüşlerinin belirlenmesi [Determining women's views on gender inequality]. E-Journal of Dokuz Eylul University Nursing Faculty, 3(1), 30-35. Retrieved January 17, 2020 from, http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12397/4546

Dolunay, D. (2016). Annelerin özel gereksinimli çocuklarını kabul etmeleri ile kardeşlerin özel gereksinimli çocukları kabulü arasındaki ilişki [The relationship between mothers' acceptance of children with special needs and siblings' acceptance of children with special needs] (Unpublished master’s thesis). Yakın Doğu University.

Graungaard, A. H., & Skov, L. (2006). Why do we need a diagnosis? A qualitative study of parents’ experiences, coping and needs, when the newborn child is severely disabled. Child: care, health and development, 33(3), 296-307. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2006.00666.x

Heiman, T. (2002). Parents of children with disabilities: Resilience, coping, and future expectations. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 14, 159–171. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015219514621

Hyassat, M. (2012). Jordanian parents of young children with disabilities: Perspectives on care, coping and service provision. (Unpublished doctoral thesis). Swansea University.

Işık, M. (2014). Özel eğitim uygulama merkezi ve iş uygulama merkezinde çalışan zihin engelliler sınıf öğretmenlerinin yaşadığı sorunlar [Problems experienced by classroom teachers of the mentally handicapped working in the special education application center and job application center] (Unpublished master’s thesis). Atatürk University.

Kempton, R.J. (1975). Studies directed towards a mitomycın synthesis (Unpublished doctoral thesis). Fordham University.

Kisler, J., & McConachie, H. (2010). Parental reaction to disability. Pediatrics and Child Health, 20(7), 309-314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paed.2010.02.010

Kaya, A. (2011). Bakım hizmeti veren personelin zihin engellilerin yaşadıkları sorunlara ilişkin görüş ve önerileri [Opinions and suggestions of the caregivers regarding the problems experienced by the mentally handicapped]. (Unpublished master’s thesis). Abant İzzet Baysal University.

Kaytez, N., Durualp, E., & Kadan, G. (2015). Engelli çocuğu olan ailelerin gereksinimlerinin ve stres düzeylerinin incelenmesi [Examination of the needs and stress levels of families with disabled children]. Journal of Research in Education and Teaching, 4(1), 197-214.

Khargi, S. S. (2018). Caregiver support and advocacy for children with disabilities in Guyana (Unpublished doctoral thesis). Walden University.

Küçük, D. (2009). Bakıcı tarafından annesi tarafından ve kreşte bakılan 3-6 yaş çocukların yaşam kalitesi ve özbakım becerilerinin değerlendirilmesi [Evaluation of quality of life and self-care skills of children aged 3-6 who are cared for by the caregiver by their mother and at the nursery] (Unpublished master’s thesis). Atatürk University.

Russ, S. A., Kuo, A. A., Poulakis, Z., Barker, M., Rickards, F., Saunders, K., & Oberklaid, F. (2004). Qualitative analysis of parents’ experience with early detection of hearing loss. Archives of disease in childhood, 89(4), 353-358. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/adc.2002.024125

Safiye, O. K. (2016). Öğretmen ve ailelere göre okul öncesi eğitimde okul-aile işbirliğinin önemi [The importance of school-family cooperation in preschool education according to teachers and families]. Istanbul Aydin University Journal, 8(32), 61-80. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/iaud/issue/40593/487909

Sağıroğlu, N. (2006). Özel gereksinimli bireylere sahip ailelerin çocuklarının devam ettiği özel eğitim ve rehabilitasyon merkezlerinden beklentileri [Expectations of families with individuals with special needs from special education and rehabilitation centers where their children attend] (Unpublished master’s thesis). Abant İzzet Baysal University.

Seyyar, A. (2007). Teorik ve pratik boyutuyla sosyal bakım [Social care with its theoretical and practical dimensions]. Ankara: Şefkatli Eller Publications.

Strange, M. (2018). Variables affecting caregiver stress in rural North Carolina: A quantitative correlational study (Unpublished doctoral thesis). The University of the Rockies.

Wood, E., & Attfield, J. (2005). Play, learning, and the early childhood curriculum. London: Paul Chapman Publishing.

Yaralı, D. (2015). Öğretmen adaylarının özel gereksinimli bireylere yönelik tutumlarının bazı değişkenler açısından incelenmesi. [The Investigation of the prospective teachers' attitudes towards the individuals with special needs in terms of some variables]. Erzincan University Journal of Education Faculty, 17(2), 431-455.