ERIC Number: ED605983
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Feb
Pages: 38
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Parent's Participation in the Social Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia
Becirevic, Majda; Dowling, Monica
Open Society Foundations
Young children with disabilities frequently face stigmatization; they are more prone to exclusion, abandonment and institutionalisation--often leaving their developmental needs unmet. Equally, the parents of children with disabilities can face isolation and poverty as they attempt to negotiate adequate services for their children to enable them to reach their potential. Segregated special education kindergartens and schools, although often focussed on meeting children's needs, can in fact exacerbate children's isolation in society. The Early Childhood Program at Open Society Foundations strongly advocates for inclusive access to education and children's services as outlined in the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Recognising parents as experts on the barriers to full inclusion that their children face, the Early Childhood Program believes that family involvement is paramount in promoting inclusive practices. This report on the attitudes and actions of parents of children with disabilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, researched by the Open University with support from the Open Society Foundations, highlights the importance of parent's organisations as a resource and support network for children and parents alike. It also emphasises the potential of parents groups to become powerful advocates for inclusive education.
Descriptors: Parent Participation, Social Integration, Inclusion, Disabilities, Children, Foreign Countries, Parent Attitudes, Activism, Parent Grievances, Clinical Diagnosis, Early Childhood Education, Elementary Secondary Education, Attitudes toward Disabilities, Financial Support
Open Society Foundations. 224 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019. Tel: 212-548-0600; Fax: 212-548-4600; Web site: https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Open Society Foundations (OSF)
Identifiers - Location: Bosnia and Herzegovina; Croatia
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Author Affiliations: N/A