Objective: This scoping review aimed to map the extent of evidence on parental advocacy programmes supporting participation in child welfare decision-making. Introduction: Though parental advocacy programmes aim to empower parents navigating complex child welfare systems, the breadth of evidence has not yet been synthesised. Inclusion criteria:…

The qualitative research study was guided by the following research questions: What factors impede how parental advocacy works in collaboration with the IEP team, and what motivates parents to be involved and/or engaged with their child? The qualitative study examined the everyday experiences of parents and school personnel as they collaborate to…

Family-school engagement is integral to the success of students with autism. However, limited research has examined the conceptualization of family-school engagement from the perspective of parents of children with autism. With this in mind, we conducted focus groups with 22 parents of school-age children (ages 3-21) with autism from a…

Students with special learning needs (SSLN) have many issues when attempting to access quality education that would prepare them for post-secondary pursuits. Upon investigation, two themes stand out (1) persistent devaluing of the potential of the SSLN, and (2) the absence of the caregiver's voice in their son or daughter's educational plan. To…

Immigrant parents' involvement in schools is often situated in literature within a framework of barriers and challenges that presumes deficit. "What if we describe (immigrant) parents through a framework of agency and knowledge? What would support from school and teachers look like, if they see parents in an agentic role? What would it mean…

This record of study applies a qualitative research design to explain the phenomenon of parent advocacy in school systems for parents whose children suffer from a specific illness known as chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis. This study seeks to explain frustrations experienced by parents during their work as the key communicators between…

Parent involvement has been found to be predictive of successful student learning. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), parents are required to be active participants in the development of their child's special education. Latinx parents of children in special education face various challenges when it comes to parent…

This article presents findings from a qualitative research study conducted with and for Latina mother leaders. Using a "muxerista" (womanist) framework, we demonstrate how Latina mother leaders articulate forms of leadership to advocate for their children and utilize leadership strategies in the development of educational policy such as…

This study investigates the role of a family literacy program in facilitating critical literacy among Maya immigrant parents as evident in their ability to navigate inhospitable institutional structures, re-writing their role as advocates for their children in school decision making. The study highlights the conscientization that emerged among…

There is widespread consensus that parental involvement in their children's education contributes to the children's success at school. However, it is also recognized that non-dominant populations, particularly immigrant families, face language and cultural barriers, racism, poverty, and other obstacles to navigating school practices that many…

Throughout the past decade, scholars have argued that the persistent achievement gap between Black male students and their White peers is a result of unequal and inadequate educational opportunities instead of inherent differences in their capability or character. School counselors can help support Black males by using equity-focused…

Little is known about the processes that foster positive development specifically in adolescent Black girls from low-income backgrounds (Kirshner & Ginwright, 2012). Scholars (Larson & Ngo, 2017; Simpkins, Riggs, Ngo, Ettekal, & Okamoto, 2017) have called for investigation into how the cultural assets of adolescents of color contribute…

Child Trends, with the support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the George Kaiser Family Foundation, invited a variety of stakeholders from across the country to attend a meeting in May 2016: "Building Our Future: Strategies for Investing in Early Childhood." The goal of the meeting was to learn more about various types of…

Oklahoma implemented universal pre-K in 1998. It is one of only five states that has or is implementing universal preschool, and for several years has served more four-year-old children than any other state. The organization, Community Action Project (CAP) Tulsa, occupies a unique position in this work. As one of the largest anti-poverty agencies…

Positive parent-professional collaboration is critical for the educational success of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, little is known about teacher perceptions of parent-professional collaboration. Thirty-four teachers participated in a qualitative study to gain a better understanding of teachers' perceptions of helpful…