Abstract
This study aims to explore the experiences of parents of children with Down Syndrome, with a specific focus on their experiences, challenges, and support needs. By examining the perspectives of parents, this research seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between family, education and disability. Special schools are educational institutions designed to provide tailored support and education for learners with special educational needs (SEN) or disabilities. These schools offer specialised resources, teaching methods and support services to address the unique requirements of their learners. The curriculum and learning environment are adapted to accommodate various disabilities, such as physical, sensory, cognitive or behavioural challenges. Special schools aim to ensure that every learner receives an education that is appropriate for their individual needs, fostering their academic, social and personal development.
This study set out to investigate and characterize the experiences of parents who are assisting their children with Down syndrome (DS) in their academic endeavours. This study employed an interpretive paradigm, a phenomenological design, and a qualitative methodology. To take part in this study, nine parents whose kids attend the same special school were specifically chosen. This study's theoretical framework was Albert Bandura's notion of self-efficacy. In order to gather data, parents completed a collage and took part in semi-structured interviews. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse data from many data sources. The themes identified from the data collection were daily challenges due to underdevelopment and day-to-day challenges, lack of interest in challenging compared to non-challenging tasks, multidisciplinary support and effective communication, and financial barrier to support learners.
According to the study's findings, the majority of parents were generally aware of what Down syndrome was. Additionally, the study found that parents experienced challenges when it came to offering educational support for their children. Some of these challenges included financial constraints and instilling self-adaptive skills within their children. The overall challenges experienced in parenting their children with Down Syndrome suggests the need for parental guidelines such as support groups and workshops, which are recommended to help improve the experiences of parents.